Lonely But Not Alone
by DBT the mediocre
Summary: Hans - traitor of the Southern Isles and exiled prince. Lost and confused, he goes to the only place he knows, Arendelle. Inevitably, he met Elsa the Snow Queen, who is still trying to win the fight against her own demons. Two drifting souls finally find each other, but can they find healing? Or are they already too broken? -Elsa/Hans-
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hello everyone, welcome to my very first Frozen fic. I'm not usually that good at multi-chapter fics but I'm trying a very different style than the ones I used to write my previous stories. For finally, I am out of my hibernation and I'm ready to breathe in the spring air. I'm not very sure about how everyone feels towards Hans and Elsa, but the portrayal in this story is from my opinion. You may or may not agree with it. I suppose I sort of empathise with the characters, but in a weird fangirl/writer sort of way. Anyway, please do enjoy.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

_Title - Lonely But Not Alone  
><em>_Pairing - Hans/Elsa (Helsa)  
><em>_Summary - Hans - traitor of the Southern Isles and exiled prince. Lost and confused, he goes to the only place he knows, Arendelle. Inevitably, he met Elsa the Snow Queen, who is still trying to win the fight against her own demons. Two drifting souls finally find each other, but can they find healing? Or are they already too broken? -Elsa/Hans-_

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><p><span><em>Chapter 1<em>

Dawn was approaching, and the few beams of sunlight emerging from the horizon lit up the land and sea. An expectant aura was hanging in the air. A brother, a kingdom, a disgraced prince.

"We're almost there, your highness." Hans turned around to face the guard, anxiety hidden well behind his cool exterior. He nodded grimly, wordlessly. The guard bowed slightly and disappeared to prepare for the arrival. The prince was going home.

He was curious why they let him out of his tiny prison of the ship, but he wasn't complaining and he didn't question. They hadn't returned his royal quarters to him, though. He was just grateful that he was able to walk on the decks, enjoying the fresh air. He despised the looks of hatred and condescension from the crew so he kept to himself, walking the decks in the early hours of the morning and returning to his prison to sleep during the day.

But he of all people would know that the journey would come to an end. He would have to face his brothers, his king, and his people. He would have to reveal his treacherous actions and evil deeds. As the cool morning air rustled his brown hair, he wondered what the confrontation would be like.

His reactions were well within his control and he considered the different attitudes he could give. He could humble himself and apologise, making the punishment much less harsh. He could retaliate all the way, spouting hurtful words and go down with a fight.

The thoughts ran through his mind, thinking and calculating all the way until they landed onto shore. Guards escorted him through the town and to the castle. Hans watched the people casting him respectful glances, bowing at him, making way for him. He couldn't help but think that it would all change once his actions were revealed.

Hans was led straight to the throne room, where his brother and his wife were waiting for him. At last, the hour of reckoning had arrived. They looked eager, interested to hear about Hans' trip to Arendelle. Hans bowed to them in respect, the guards behind him kneeling.

"Hans!" the king spoke as he and his wife stood from their seats. "Welcome home, brother." He reached forward and embraced him as the queen hovered by his side.

A guard cleared his throat for attention and the king looked at him. "Sorry for interrupting, your highness, but we come bearing bad news." The king had a puzzled look, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Prince Hans, would you like to explain?"

Prince Hans hid a smirk. So, they were letting him say his side of the story. Hans nodded and took a step forward. Then, he spoke. He spoke of the coronation, of his engagement to Princess Anna, of Queen Elsa's powers. He spoke of his actions, his decision to leave Anna to her death and his attempt to kill Elsa. He spoke until his throat was dry and the sun was high in the sky, but he left nothing out. This was his decision on how to react. He chose to be honest.

The appalled look on the faces of the king and queen were enough to send waves of guilt through his body. Silence hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity.

Then, the king spoke. "I will take the day to think about this. We shall speak tonight," his voice trembled and cracked as he fought to keep the emotions in.

"Will you tell the rest?" Fear gripped his frozen heart as he thought of his brothers and how they would torment him, isolate him, treat him like he was nothing. Once they found out, they would do it again.

His brother nodded. "I must." He thought for moment. "Tonight, at dinner. I suggest you eat in your room tonight." Hans let the words sink in before bowing to him, turning to go.

As he left the throne room, he felt the weight of his actions pull him down. He nearly shouted, he nearly cried, he nearly wanted to jump from the tower. Instead, he put one foot in front of the other and walked to his room.

_._._._._._.

A knock came from Hans' door. It seemed as if the king was early. Resigned, he opened the door to reveal the second in line for the throne. "My brother Hamlin," he greeted, surprised.

He nodded and entered the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Is it true?" he asked, his voice no more than a whisper.

Hans felt his heart clench. "You know it is."

Despite the large age gap, Hamlin was the closest to Hans. He was the one who would look out for him as a child, always ensuring the others didn't bully him. He was the one who cared the most, who treated him as an equal. Out of all his brothers, Hans loved him the most.

The tension in the room was so great that Hans felt like throwing up. Even though they fought constantly, the two brothers never had a rift this big.

"I never knew you were capable of such a thing."

"You never knew me that well, brother."

Hamlin's eyes flashed angrily. "I stood by you no matter what, and this is what you say to me!"

Hans remained composed. "I didn't say you were a bad brother."

Hamlin's anger disappeared as quickly as it came. "What did I ever do wrong?"

"You did everything you could."

"Yet you turned out like this."

"It isn't your fault."

There was a pause. "Why did you do it, Hans?"

"I wanted to rule." His answer was quick and sure, almost rehearsed.

"You lie and kill so you can lead a kingdom. Throne would suit you ill, brother."

Hans chose to remain silent, though his green eyes were filled with emotion. "You weren't the one who was ignored for the whole of your life."

"This is your way to get back at them?"

"This is my way to prove I exist."

"You exist to me."

There was another pause. Longer this time, and heavier. So many words to be spoken, yet none being voiced out.

"I think you should go." It was too much for Hans and the night had just begun.

Hamlin stood up and looked his brother in the eye. "Hans, if I don't get the chance to see you, I want to tell you that I love you. Even if the rest don't, I do." He interpreted Hans' silence. "Do you believe me?"

"You've never lied to me."

"I'm not lying now."

"Good." He paused. "I love you too."

Hamlin leaned forward and brushed his lips against his brother's cheek. With that, he turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him.

_._._._._.

From his room in the castle, Hans heard the town bells ring. He counted along with it: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9.

There was a knock at the door. How expected of the king to be so prompt. He opened the door, allowing his brother to enter. "Your highness," he greeted as the king sat on the large armchair.

"There's no need for such formalities, Hans. We're alone now."

Hans took a seat opposite the king. "Very well, brother. I'm ready." He faced his punishment with much more courage than he had expected to. Perhaps Hamlin's visit had given him more than he thought.

"This isn't easy, Hans. I hope you know this." The king looked at him, his eyes as haunted as his soul. He hated that he had to do this to his own brother, his own blood. But no matter how much he cared for his brother, he couldn't overlook this crime.

"I will take whatever punishment you deem fair." Hans picked up on the king's hesitation easily. He wondered if his eldest brother really did care for him, despite the years of ruling over him throughout his childhood. Do you love me as Hamlin does? he thought.

The king took a deep breath in. "I talked with your brothers and we decided on this together. It was the fairest yet kindest decision I could make." He was prolonging this, evidently. He didn't want to say it as much as Hans didn't want to hear it. But if he overlooked things he didn't want to do, he would have failed as king.

He heaved a deep sigh and looked Hans in the eye. His voice came out strong and firm, though it trembled ever-so-slightly. "Prince Hans, with the power vested in me as king of the Southern Isles, I exile you from the kingdom for five years." He paused, letting the words sink in. "You must leave by tomorrow. I'll arrange for a ship to leave in the morning, to wherever you want to go."

Hans looked stunned. He had not expected this. Where was he to live? What was he to eat? Anger surged through him. The king had promised this was the most merciful, but this seemed like he was out to get him.

Treat him like he didn't exist, watch as he made a mess of the kingdom then get his revenge by banishing him. That was the life of Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. His brother didn't really care for him. It was just an act.

The king stood from his seat and laid a firm hand on Hans' shoulder. "I'm sorry, Hans. I did my best."

Hans hid his emotions behind a tight smile. _Conceal, don't feel._ He said nothing as he watched his brother go. The exile was revenge against him, but Hans was resourceful. He would use this to get his own revenge. He would get back at those who put him in this situation in the first place.

He began packing immediately, his mind whirling. He knew where he wanted to go, what he wanted to do. By midnight, all his clothes were packed. The food he gathered from the kitchen was stuffed in his bag. He had collected his hunting equipment and fire-starting kit.

He was ready to survive in the wild, to brave the icy mountain of Arendelle. He was ready to exact his revenge.

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><p><strong>I do sincerely hope you enjoyed the first chapter. More to come, of course. Favfollow/drop a review if you would be so kind. Feedback is always good, yes? I'll do my best to update once a week, but that all depends on my speed of thought and typing, as well as how much time life offers to give me. Well, thanks for reading! **

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello again my dearest readers. Thank you so much for all your follows/favourites. I especially want to thank all those who reviewed this story - you guys know who you are and I am truly grateful for your comments. I'm just so honoured that all of you are actually interested in reading this story. So now that Hans' part is covered, this chapter covers Elsa's part as well as their fateful first meeting. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter 2<em>

Elsa looked around her, utterly bewildered. Maids, officials and townspeople were swarming around her, telling her to do this and that. Someone from this land was here and a gift had arrived from that kingdom. Her mind was spinning as she tried to listen and respond to dozens of people talking to her at the same time.

She struggled to keep her emotions in as she calmed herself. Breathe in, breathe out. _Put on a show._ Clearing her throat, she commanded attention. "Thank you, everyone." She waited for the crowd to go silent as she checked her schedule. "But please, you must excuse me, for I have some royal matters to attend to."

Opening the gates was a large surprise to everyone in Arendelle, and she needed time to get used to the change. But time was a luxury she did not have. The Duke of Redalle was waiting for her in the throne room while she fought to leave the crowd.

"Your highness," he greeted as she entered the throne room.

Queen Elsa smiled and curtsied. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be in her room. She couldn't help but think that opening the gates might have been a mistake. Perhaps it would have been better to remain in her room, wallowing in her self-pity.

No. Anything was better than those years, trapped by her idea that the world would hate her for her powers. Things were better now, even if she hated it. It seemed like she would hate her life no matter what.

She hid her thoughts and emotions behind a kind smile. She invited the duke to take a seat while she was dying inside. It was going to be a long morning.

"Thank you for your time, your highness. Shall we proceed to business?" The Duke seemed friendly enough, but there was a persistent aura he was radiating. Elsa nodded with as much confidence as she could muster. "Please, your highness, I was wondering if you would give me a full recount of the events that transpired not a month ago."

Elsa did all she could not to wince. How had she not noticed the parchment and quill in front of him? Of course he was searching for answers to the Great Thaw. Everyone was these days.

Questions flew past her like a blur. Mechanically, she told him about what happened. The coronation, the eternal winter, the treachery. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. She left out nothing. It wouldn't do well for the queen to lie to reporters.

The Duke of Redalle nodded, scribbling everything down with precision and ease. Once she had finished her story, he nodded in understanding. She prepared to escort him out, but he wasn't finished yet. "Why didn't your sister know of your powers? Was this the reason why the gates were shut all these years? Don't you think anyone deserved to know?"

The questions came like arrows aimed directly at Elsa's heart. They hit their target. Queen Elsa nearly froze the table, but she didn't. _Make one wrong move and everyone will know. _

She smiled politely, but there was no joy in it. The memories came back to her. The years of isolation burned deep within her and froze her heart.

Of course Anna deserved to know. Of course everyone deserved to know. But she didn't let them know. Why? She didn't want to be the monster, the freak with ice powers. She was the Snow Queen, but she didn't want that. She just wanted to be a queen.

The Duke looked at her expectantly, patiently waiting for her answer. No one else had dared to ask these questions, except him. Intruding on her life wasn't his intention. He just wanted answers. But Elsa wasn't sure if she could give him that.

Elsa of Arendelle smiled again, the pain inside her building up. This time, she couldn't run, nor could she lock herself up inside her room. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I must cut this meeting short," she announced, standing up. The reasons were not stated, but they were known.

He followed suit, knowing that he had overstepped his boundaries. The queen had her rights of privacy and the Duke understood that fully. With a smile and a polite bow, he left the castle.

"Queen Elsa," a maid called, and the queen turned to her with a weak smile. "The finance minister is ready to see you."

She was about to ask of the whereabouts of her sister but she already knew the answer. Anna had woken up half the kingdom as she and Kristoff noisily left the castle to gallivant to heavens knows where. Yet Elsa couldn't face her people with her mind in a mess. "Tell the minister that I'm sorry, but I have to cancel." She turned to go, but added as an afterthought, "In fact, tell everyone that I'll be unavailable the rest of the day."

Elsa grabbed her cloak and threw her hood on, heading out of the castle. She had a lot of apology letters to write and rescheduling to do, but she didn't care. She just needed a break. The North Mountain beckoned to her and she found herself powerless to its calling. In fact, she knew just where to go.

_._._._._.

The ice castle was as formidable as ever, the blue sparkling in the sun and the purple casting pleasant rays onto the snow. She twirled around in freedom, snow and ice jumping around at her command. Her hand rested lightly on the railing as she ascended her ice staircase.

She entered the castle, but froze in her steps. There was someone else in her home. Shadows were cast on the wall and noises came from the upper level. Slowly, silently, she snuck up the stairs, careful not to make any noise. The shadows grew closer as she walked up the stairs. She would soon find out who this intruder was.

The figure turned around, eyes widening as he locked eyes with her. Elsa made no hesitation as she swung her arm and lodged the intruder against the wall with ice. "Prince Hans. What are you doing here?" she hissed menacingly.

An easy grin came onto his face, lighting up his already charming features. "Queen Elsa. It seems you're alone. I'm alone too, you know."

For a moment, Elsa nearly let her guard down. But she regained her composure, anger pumping through her veins. That was exactly the tactics he used to woo Anna before he betrayed her. Spikes erupted from the ground and they grew nearer and nearer Hans, as if they were reaching to impale him.

Hans panicked, his heart beginning to beat erratically. His words were light-hearted and friendly. He didn't expect her to take them so seriously. "Stop, please, I can explain!" he cried quickly. _Don't be the monster they fear you are._

Elsa caught herself and the spikes gradually retracted from the ground. "Explain yourself, Prince Hans." She gazed at him steadily. She wasn't afraid of him, and she wasn't going to be fooled by him. This time, he couldn't hurt her. He was frozen against the wall while she stood in front of him, demanding an explanation.

He sighed in resignation. "I was exiled," he began plainly. "It was my punishment for what I did. So I came back here." He hung his head. "Your highness, I know that I caused much hurt in my last trip here, but this time I come in peace. Honestly, I came to Arendelle to apologise, with the hope that someday you'll realize I'm not quite as evil as everyone thinks."

Elsa's warm heart melted a little. His story, as simple as it was, stirred something within her. But she had her suspicions. "You're the one who would kill for power. Why the sudden change of heart?" she tone was skeptical, but Hans could feel the ice loosen around his body.

The banished prince shrugged, a broken smile on his face. "I made a mistake. I was a fool. But I know I was wrong and I want to make up for my errors." She nodded slowly as the ice melted and his feet touched the solid ground. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Believing me."

Elsa had a surprised look on her face. The man in front of her really had changed. A bright and sincere smile came onto her face. She couldn't even remember what she had been so upset about just a few moments ago.

_._._._._.

Queen Elsa returned to the castle at dusk. The last rays of light were shining before they disappeared into the horizon. She looked calm and composed, but on the inside her feelings were in turmoil.

"Elsa!" Anna called as she ran towards her older sister. "Where have you been? I was starting to be concerned about you." The older sister tried to slip away, but Anna grabbed her hand, forcing Elsa to converse with her.

She merely shrugged, as if the thought of looking for her was so ridiculous. "I'm fine, Anna. I found an injured animal on the way back and tended to it." Strangely enough, the lie came easily. Perhaps it was because she had practically lied to her sister for her whole life. But the main question was why. Why was there a need to lie to her at all?

Anna would begin to worry. She would be afraid that Hans would come to ruin her life again. That was the logical reason, the one she would say if anyone found out. But she knew there was something else. Elsa didn't want her sister to know because she wanted Hans to be a secret, like a mysterious Prince Charming.

Elsa shook her head. What was she thinking? A day with him and suddenly he's 'Prince Charming'? He was a traitor, a murderer. She was just tolerating him because he had a change of heart.

"What did you do today?" Anna was trying so hard to talk to her sister, to somehow bridge the gap the long years of isolation had led to. It had been a month, yet very little progress was made.

Elsa snapped out of her reverie at the sound of her sister's voice. She looked up at her sister's expectant face. "Oh, just walking around, I suppose," she answered half-heartedly.

What had she done the whole day? She had spent it with Hans, of course. But what she really did was an enigma. She had walked with him, talked to him. What had they even talked about? Small, daily things which meant nothing, but she was sure would eventually lead up to conversations with profound meaning.

The queen turned to her younger sister. "I'm sorry, Anna, but I'm really exhausted. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She gave her sister a smile before retreating to her room.

That day had been a mystery, an adventure. It was a shock to find out that the man who tried to kill her was living in a castle she had built entirely out of ice. But the bigger shock was finding out who this treacherous man had become.

That night Elsa went to her room, realising she felt happy. She was actually looking forward to the next time she would meet him. _You don't have to live in fear._

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><p><strong>Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More to come, of course. <strong>Favfollow/drop a review if you would be so kind. Feedback is always good, yes?****

****Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for your patience. I did say once a week, but I fell sick and I couldn't think nor type for a while. I'm really sorry. Thank you to those who favourited/followed and a special thanks to my lovely reviewers! I hope you all are enjoying this story. This chapter will be slightly boring, let me tell you beforehand. It mainly focuses on the building of the two's relationship. It's building up for the next chapter and I wish I could tell you what I have planned, but that would ruin the surprise. On with the story, then. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter 3<em>

A few days passed before Elsa went back to see Hans. He was there waiting, as a seedling would wait for the warmth of spring to sprout. "Queen Elsa," he greeted, his tone laced with pleasant surprise. His green eyes burned with anticipation. "You came back."

The ice queen tried to remain aloof, though the corners of her lips curled in a ghost of a smile. "Of course. What kind of queen would I be if I were to let you roam my land free and unmonitored?"

Hans chuckled lightly in amusement. She could have sent an army of guards to keep watch on him, to arrest him and throw him in prison for the rest of his days. But no, she wanted to spend time with him and he knew it.

But he also knew he didn't trust him. The way she shifted uncomfortably around him, the way she always kept her distance, showed him signs of suspicion. "If that's the case, your highness, then I think I enjoy being monitored," he retaliated with a grin.

Elsa merely smiled, refusing to answer. This was a criminal, she thought, no matter how much he changed. And certainly, being a queen, she had her reasons for visiting him. She didn't have the luxury of escaping her castle constantly so that she could be with the banished prince. "Prince Hans." He looked at her questioningly. "Tell me more of your exile."

An ashen look came onto his face. He was taken aback by this. "I told you that my king sent me away." His voice was tight and his sentence short. He looked almost pained.

"I'm sorry," she quickly corrected, averting her eyes. "But if I'm to allow you to stay in Arendelle, I must know what business you have here, especially after what you've done."

He heaved a deep sigh of resignation. "The voyage back home took a little more than a week," he began, a wistful look in his eyes. "I reported straight to my king and admitted my crimes. It was so hard. But I knew that it was as difficult for me to confess it as it was for him to accept it. By nightfall, he told me of his verdict. Exile…it came as a shock to me. I think that was the hardest thing for me to do, packing up my bags and leaving everyone and everything I loved. A prince who once held hope for a bright future, now shamed and banished." Emotion stopped him and he looked away, his eyes moist with unshed tears.

Elsa did all that she could not to feel sorry for the man. Her mind was screaming at her not to feel any sympathy. He had been there, behind her, sword in hand. He had broken Anna's heart. She'd never forget the tears she had shed after that. It was all she and Kristoff could do to help her recover from the experience.

But there was no one to help her. Anna had her own battles to fight and despite their relation by blood, the long years of isolation had left Elsa truly alone. No one was there when she cried herself to sleep, or when she was shaking uncontrollably from the shock of it. When the world overwhelmed her and when she needed someone, she had no one.

Her eyes drifted out the window and watched as the sun began to set. It was getting late. "I should go," she announced, breaking the silence that hung heavily in the air.

Hans looked disappointed, as if he was expecting more of a reaction from her. He nodded and watched as she turned her back to leave the place, her actions showing reluctance. "Queen Elsa," he called out after her. She turned her head, looking at him with a curious look. "When will you be back?"

The queen surprised herself as a smile formed on her face. "Soon," she said, and she was gone.

_._._._._.

Every single minute, Hans questioned himself. Was it the right decision to come to Arendelle at all? Perhaps it would have been better to spend his years living in a foreign land, high up in the mountains, away from his past. It wouldn't be too late to leave and find a place to live as a hermit.

But every time Elsa came, she brightened his day with her presence. He knew that he made the right choice and he gradually began to feel more at home. They talked together, they laughed together. But they both couldn't deny the fact that Hans was still a prisoner of the kingdom. He would probably never be invited into the castle.

Days turned to weeks and the two continued to meet. He waited for her, and when she arrived they would talk about things they never talked about before. It took some time, but they began to open up. They told each other things they never thought they'd even speak about.

After some time, the two shared openly with each other. They never judged each other, instead learning to understand the other better. They started to realise why the other made the decisions they made, why they reacted the way they reacted, why they thought in the way they thought. The exiled prince found a friend in the snow queen of Arendelle.

It was a strange relationship. There was little trust and little love, but there was so much potential.

"Queen Elsa," Hans called and her head snapped up in attention. "Do you forgive me?"

"For what?" It was a pointless reply.

"You know what for."

She paused, thinking. Of all the sleepless nights with thoughts drifting and mind wandering, this was the question that plagued her the most. Hans had committed an illegal act to both their kingdoms, and a personal one to her and her sister. Allowing him to stay in her ice castle was one thing, but forgiving him was another. She could give him her sympathy and compassion, but she wasn't sure if she could give him her forgiveness.

"I don't know," her voice was barely audible. A cool wind whipped through the air.

He looked down, crestfallen. "I really am sorry for what I did. " His voice held so much genuine and remorse. "And I paid the price too. Being exiled by my brother was the worst thing that ever happened to me."

Elsa had a puzzled look. "Your brother? You said the king had exiled you," she tested, her voice hinting at suspicion.

"My brother is my king. My parents…they passed away when I was just a child." Tears pricked at his eyes and he blinked them away.

Not for the first time, her heart went out for him. This criminal in front of her was no more than a man who had been broken long ago. "I offer you my condolences, Prince Hans. My parents passed away as well. Three years ago." But it felt like yesterday.

She remembers the funeral she didn't attend. She remembers how much colder the room got. She remembers Anna. _We only have each other; it's just you and me. _They had told her they'd be gone for two weeks, but they didn't know they'd be gone forever. She didn't even get to hug them because of her powers. She couldn't even touch them one last time.

He remembers, too. He was no more than seven, but the memory burns deep in his mind. No one had bothered to tell him, except Hamlin. They cared about Heinrich who was to become king. They cared about preparations for the funeral and for the coronation. They didn't care about him. Perhaps if they had been alive, he wouldn't have turned out to be a traitor, a criminal, a murderer.

They were both orphans, struggling to find the support parents would give their children. They both sought out a figure they could call a father or a mother. But there was no one. Parents would give advice. They would help their children even if they didn't know how to. Without them, life overwhelmed the children and they drifted like buoys on a raging river, with no anchor to hold them down.

Both their eyes began to water, only a little, but enough for them to look down and blink the tears away. "Elsa," Hans took a step closer to her.

He reached out to her and hesitantly, she extended her arm. Gently, he took her hand in his. It was small and delicate, yet in a moment his arm could be frozen solid. But nothing happened. Skin touched skin, but no ice began to form.

Hans looked at Elsa. There was nothing but joy on her face.

_._._._._.

They were walking in the forest, their shoes crunching softly after each step against the thin layer of snow. They were silent for a moment, enjoying the peace nature had to offer. Up in the North Mountain, they were never bothered by people. They could walk together without being spotted by the civilians of Arendelle.

Elsa was the first to break the almost perfect silence. "It's been such a long time since I remember walking through these woods," she mused softly.

In return, Hans offered a half-hearted smile, evident that something else was on his mind. She looked at him, as if expecting him to ask her something. Sighing deeply, he did just that. "Queen Elsa, do you think Anna forgives me?"

Her face paled slightly at the mention of her younger sister. Her mind fumbles for words to explain her situation. "Anna doesn't…" she trailed off as she fought to find words to say. But even without saying it out loud, her message was conveyed.

"She doesn't know I'm here," Hans finished, comprehension coming onto his face.

Elsa rushed to defend herself, but her fingers twisted around in nervousness. "Anna is becoming a brave and strong young woman. And though I know she'll be able to handle the news, I also know that she'll be distressed by it. The wounds she made so much effort to heal will be reopened."

Hans looked up and gazed at her. "Then it shows how much love there is in your family. You two sisters take care of each other, protect each other, and die for each other." He smiled at her, a hint of sadness interwoven into his face. "I only wish that were the case for my family." He had meant the words to be as a wry joke, but it sounded bitter as he spoke them.

There was a pause. "Is that why you did it? Why you went against your own kingdom and tried to take mine?" The accusation cut deeply into his heart. He knew what she meant, but the way she said it made it sound like she didn't forgive him. Which, he realized, she probably didn't.

"You don't know what it was like to live with my brothers. Being the youngest, they'd treat you like a servant, pretend you're not there. They'd make you feel like you weren't a brother at all." His mind flashed back to his childhood. He recalled the years of loneliness and he shuddered. He could feel his heart burning with hatred at their actions. He was just a child then.

Elsa's hand brushed against his gently, but it was enough to send icy shivers up his arm. "I'm sorry to hear that." She sounded sympathetic, but there was something more. He thought he heard some reverence and recognition, but perhaps he was just imagining it. "I can understand being alone. With my powers, I couldn't see anyone unless I wanted to hurt them. I shut even Anna out."

The words sank in and a somber stillness hung in the air. Hans began to laugh, but there was no mirth in it. It was a bitter, almost mocking, laugh. "I suppose people like us are just meant to be alone."

"No, not alone." Elsa's voice was soft and calming, even as she disagreed. Hans looked at her but remained quiet, his silence probing her, urging her to go on. "We've lived such hard lives. Our pasts have made us the isolated people we are today. But we're isolated together."

Slowly, Hans began to understand her meaning.

"We're lonely. But we're not alone."

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><p><strong>And that ends the third chapter. I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed it. It was a little tough to write, specifically the conversation between the two. Thank you all for reading! <strong><strong>Favfollow/drop a review if you would be so kind. Feedback is always good, yes? More to come, of course. Next chapter will take longer to come because it's going to be longer than these few chapters. That and I have exams this upcoming week. Hang in there!******

******Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>****


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm so sorry this took longer than expected. Somehow more and more things just kept coming up and it became harder and harder to write. But finally this chapter is up and done. So thanks for your patience. **Thank you to those who favourited/followed and a special thanks to my lovely reviewers! I hope you all are enjoying this story. This chapter is a little longer than the past few because I had to include some stuff inside her and I couldn't break it without ruining the whole flow, so here it is. Please do**** **enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><em><span>Chapter 4<span>_

Elsa's brows were furrowed as she went back to the ice castle one day. Her breathing was shallow and the temperature dropped by a few degrees the moment she stepped in. Hans noticed her distress immediately, both from her expression and from the snowflakes which began to fall from the ceiling.

He was next to her in a heartbeat. "Elsa." His voice was firm and his body steady despite the icy breeze. He knew that of all the places she could have gone to, he went to the ice castle. She could have gone to Anna or Olaf for comfort, but she chose to go to him and he took pride in it.

Her eyes held such anguish that he instinctively took her hand. Ice began to form on his fingertips but he ignored it, holding on even tighter. "Elsa, talk to me. What's wrong?"

She glanced down at the ice creeping up his arm and jerked her hand away, holding it tightly to her chest. More snow began to fall. The cold wind picked up. "I don't think I can do this anymore."

He gazed at her silently, questioningly. A frown played on his lips, almost unnoticeable.

The break in the conversation allowed her time to think. "Ruling a kingdom is so hard," she began slowly, trying to keep her emotions in. "Especially now. There are so many things to do – events to plan, meetings to attend, people to host." She paused for a moment. "After so many years of loneliness, everyone suddenly expects me to be the queen of a people I don't know. I can't even seek help from Anna. She's almost as busy as I am! Her birthday is coming soon and there's going to be this huge party."

Elsa's eyes shot up to see his expression. He looked expectant, as if waiting for her finish. There was more, and he knew that. She knew that too. She just wondered when he had starting seeing through her. "Now…now they want a king." Her breath quickened. "They want me to marry!"

An exasperated sigh escaped from her lips. A blizzard seemed to be forming. From the snow surrounding her, she glanced to Hans. He was trying his best to keep the shock from his face.

Wasn't that what he had always wanted? If he had been a little more patient, he could have been one of the suitors sailing to Arendelle to ask for her hand. But things had changed. He was no longer the regal prince who was tasked to lead his people. He was no longer welcome in his kingdom, his land, his home. He was no longer accepted by his brother who never really loved him at all.

His silence weighed heavily on her. The blizzard worsened. It was a mistake to go to him. Absent-mindedly, she glanced out the window. "I should go now." The wind whipped her words away, but she didn't bother to make herself heard. She turned to leave the place, her mind trying to find a place she could find comfort.

Hans reached out and clutched her hand before she could take another step. "Elsa, wait!" The blizzard slowed to a strong, snowy wind. "I know I'm not an expert at this, at love. In fact, advice is probably the last thing you want, especially from me. And I know it seems hypocritical of me to say this but-" he stopped himself. Elsa's expression urged him to continue. "I think… I think you should just follow your heart."

He nearly laughed at himself. Hans – the one who took advantage of Anna's kind and pure heart – speaking words of advice about love? An onlooker would accuse him of planning to abuse love once again. But when he looked at Elsa, she wasn't angry, nor even the slightest bit uneasy. She just looked thoughtful. The only breeze rustling in the room was from the open window.

To Elsa, as cliché as the words may be, the words held truth. Elsa didn't want to give up on marriage. Ever since young, she dreamed of finding the right person who would love her. Someone who wasn't just interested in her as a queen and accepted her powers. Someone who she would live happily ever after with. Perhaps one of the suitors would be her Prince Charming.

Her eyes flickered to Hans' handsome face before turning her gaze to the ground. But even the ice queen couldn't deny the flutter in her chest. She held his hand a little tighter.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" he asked her.

The queen paused, thinking. "Anna's birthday party is tomorrow." She saw the disappointment on his face. "But I'll come by in the morning."

A new hope returned to his once dull eyes. A pleased smile lay softly on his lips. He bade her goodbye as she headed back to the castle, her footsteps a little lighter than before.

_._._._._.

The sun had only just risen when Elsa arrived at the ice castle. She couldn't help but glance behind her shoulders just one last time before she entered. Somehow, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to get caught.

As she climbed up the staircase, she wondered what was so important that Hans wanted to see her so urgently. Usually he never pushed her on when she would next come. He knew how busy she was. But he asked her to meet him the next day, which was unusual. She just hoped she wasn't too early for him.

"Oh!" she gasped as her hand flew to her mouth. "Hans, what is this?"

The exiled prince turned to her and extended his hand in invitation. "Good morning, Elsa." Gently, she laid her hand on his. "I hope you don't mind but I arranged a little surprise."

Elsa was led towards the centre of the large room and she sat down on the icy ground, her long gown folding beneath her. "A picnic?" she asked, staring at the baskets of food in front of her.

A red hue was on his face as he sat opposite her. "It isn't much, but it was the best I could do. With the limited amount of money I have, it's all I could afford. I know it's nothing compared to what you have in the castle, but-"

"Hans." She stopped him before he could go further. She picked up a fruit from one of the baskets laid on the floor. "This is very sweet of you. Thank you." She saw the smile on his face and couldn't help but smile back.

The pair sat on the cold ground for what felt like hours. They ate, they talked, they laughed. They were having the time of their lives and they never wanted the day to end.

"Elsa," he spoke suddenly when silence had descended on them. She looked up. "I know I asked you this before, but…do you forgive me?"

She only had to think for a second before she answered. "Yes."

His eyes lit up in a light she'd never seen before. "Really?" he asked, not daring to believe lest it was not true.

The snow queen hid a smile. "Of course." A bright grin quickly found a way onto his face.

She'd never think that she would ever forgive him after all the hurt he caused, but somehow over the past weeks, after getting to know him, she found the heart to forgive. Nothing would change what he did, or the feelings which came to her after, but the one thing that changed was him.

It took a while for her to realise, but she saw it finally. The man in front for her was no longer evil, no longer out to get her throne. After that, it was easier to accept that. She was actually able to move on and even forgive him.

"Thank you, Queen Elsa." He sounded so humbled, so true and pure.

She merely sighed in response. "It wasn't how this was supposed to end." He said nothing, but she knew he wanted an elaboration. "I wasn't supposed to win. You were supposed to save the kingdom, marry my sister and kill me." Her voice cracked and she looked away.

His brows furrowed. "I was a selfish fool. I made a mistake which I will regret for the rest of my life. I was wrong. I was evil. I was…I was a murderer."

Elsa pursed her lips. "So was I."

He rushed to contradict her. "How can you say that? You are so kind and compassionate. You possess such a-"

"You don't remember, do you?" she interrupted. As a queen, she never interrupted anyone, but as the two spent more time together, they made a silent agreement to throw away any royal airs they put up in front of others. "I nearly killed them. They came with their weapons and they wanted me dead. I used my powers and I nearly killed them. Do you remember who stopped me?"

Hans bristled slightly at the icy breeze. "It was me." She gave an almost negligible nod. "But they were out to destroy you! What you did was just self-defense."

A mirthless laugh slipped out from her lips. "Perhaps it was at first. But as fear gripped me, I lost control. I nearly impaled one and pushed the other one to his death. I'm a murderer."

"No!" his loud cry startled the both of them. Reaching out, he took her hand. "You aren't a murderer, Elsa." She looked unconvinced. "Ask anyone and they will tell you that you are a kind-hearted and loving ruler who is devoted to your kingdom. Ask anyone – your people, your servants, your sister."

Elsa slowly began to loosen up. Then, a realisation came to her and she jumped up in shock. "Anna! Her party!" She looked out the window and panicked at the sight of the near midday sun. How long exactly had she spent in the company of Hans?

Hans stood up along with her, his hand still holding hers tightly. "I know you have to go now." She nodded but looked reluctant to leave. "Elsa…my beautiful queen."

She looked genuinely surprised but wasn't upset by his words. Still, she remained quiet. He took a step nearer, closing the distance between them. His free hand reached out to the back of her head where her braids were tied neatly and firmly.

He brought his face closer to hers until their foreheads were touching. He could feel erratic heartbeat but he wasn't sure if it was hers or his. He paused, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted to. She didn't. He leaned forward and his lips met hers in a small but passionate kiss.

They pulled away a moment later. The moment was fresh in their minds.

"I have to go now," Elsa said, after she had successfully calmed herself down. "I wish you could come with me."

Hans looked sincerely happy for a moment, and the unfamiliar light came back into his eyes. "Remember what we talked about yesterday? Lonely…"

"But not alone." Elsa smiled at him and slowly, they released their grip from each other's hands and she turned to go.

_For the first time in forever, I won't be alone._

_._._._._.

Elsa ran. She ran as fast as the wind could carry her. Her bare feet flew across the ground, her shoes clutched tightly in her grasp. She ran through the alleys of the town, careful not to be seen. Better to take a little longer to reach the castle than to have whispers and rumours spreading like a virus all over Arendelle.

At last, she reached the castle. Hastily, she slipped on her shoes and caught her breath. Her mind planned for the worst. She dared not check what time it was, but by the sun's position high in the sky, she guessed that she was very late.

Mustering all her dignity and regality, she walked into the ballroom. All eyes turned to her. She forced back a wince. How was it that she had forgotten to check her appearance before entering? Her once neat and elegant gown was now crinkled and unappealing. Her once perfectly braided hair was now loose and tangled.

The invited guests had various responses. Some politely nodded at the queen and looked away; some averted their gazes, distaste mingling into their expression; some turned to their companions to whisper malicious comments. Elsa's face immediately flushed red and she wished she could escape back to the ice castle.

Anna hastened to her side. "Elsa," she said. "Where were you? The party started hours ago." Elsa quickly picked up on the hurt and guilt cut through her.

Looking down, she hurriedly tried to explain herself. "I'm sorry, Anna. I know I'm late. I'm sorry. I'll go to my room to freshen up then I'll be back down to help. I'm sorry."

She turned to go, but Anna caught her arm. "Elsa, please! Something's bothering you. Forget about the party, I'm worried about you. Where were you?"

Elsa paused for a moment, thinking. Would it be wise to tell Anna about Hans? Would she understand? No, she decided. Anna would only feel pain and hurt where she felt comfort. Even at that moment, the ghost of Hans' lips was still haunting hers.

"I'm sorry, Anna. I really am." She jerked her arm from Anna's grip and fled up the stairs to the solace of her room.

Anna had a frown on her face. Elsa was being so cold and distant, especially recently. She was always isolated, but Anna thought that after the gates had been opened, their relationship had made progress. But now, with Elsa pushing her away, even on her special day, it was breaking Anna on the inside. After all, she hadn't even wished her Happy Birthday,

Distressed, she sought Kristoff for help. "Something's not right," she told him softly as she brushed his arm gently. He pulled her close for a quick hug, his eyes gazing questioningly at her. "Elsa. She wouldn't usually be this late. She's been disappearing a lot. I'm very worried about her."

Kristoff reached out his arm to hold her. He remained silent for a moment, as if trying to recall something. "The North Mountain," he said finally. "I think I've heard people say they've seen her there. Maybe that's where she's been disappearing to."

Her response was almost immediate, as if she had her mind made up even before they spoke. "I'm going there." She knew that was what she had to do. She had to find out what was bothering Elsa so much. Perhaps there was something amiss there, something dangerous to Elsa.

"Alone?" He looked incredulous with worry. His grip on her tightened.

Anna took his hand. "I need you to stay here, to keep Elsa in the castle. It's important that she cannot leave this place while I'm out there. Could you do that for me? Please?" She knew he wanted to follow, but she trusted him more than anyone else for the task, and he knew that. Reluctantly, he nodded.

Satisfied, the two settled into silence as they watched the guests mingle. He held her in his arms and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. It troubled her to go behind her sister's back in such a sneaky and sly manner, but there was no other way to find out. Elsa was more secluded than ever and Anna needed to know why.

She was determined. Early the next morning, she'd silently head out of the castle to the North Mountain. She'd find out what Elsa's secret. She promised herself she would.

_._._._._.

Hans watched Elsa leave the place and he started to laugh. The laugh was rough, hoarse and deeply nefarious. His once innocently gleeful face contorted to form a look of pure malice. His brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed and his lips twisted to form a wicked grin.

It has been too easy. Winning the trust of Queen Elsa was harder than it was to gain Anna's, but after a while he succeeded. He learnt from his previous mistake. He wasn't so quick to make his move. He bade his time, waiting patiently. In time, he had succeeded in creeping his way into her heat. The sisters were so foolish to have made that mistake. And it had all been too easy.

The beginning was challenging enough, but beginnings are always that way. He had to try really hard to ensure Elsa believed his sad story. The facts were all true, so he didn't have to make those up, but the feelings part was a little tougher. He had to craft his own feelings and express them in words. It had worked; she felt so sympathetic for him.

Telling her the story of his exile worked like a charm, and the fake tearing up made it sure that he had her sympathy. Then when they shared about their pasts and the loss of their parents, how sad a moment it was, and he noticed the signs of her showing signs of acceptance and friendship.

Pressing for her to forgive him even worked as well. It was tricky to make sure he sounded desperately persistent, yet not come off as too forceful. That worked well according to plan, since she did forgive him in the end. It took a while, but that was part of the plan too.

Then there was the most essential part of the entire plan – family. Once he brought up family, he could bring up Anna. And once he did that, he could find out if the princess knew of his return to Arendelle. As it turned out, she didn't, which meant that the plan was moving along perfectly.

The most crucial and important part of the plan was just executed. He had made sure she'd been gone for so long and for an event so essential that Anna could not overlook it. And if his calculations were correct, then she'd be going around and looking for the cause of this. All he had to do now was wait and watch his genius unfold.

He had to pour out some hurtful parts of his life, but if that was the price he had to pay to become future king of Arendelle, then he'd pour out every detail of his depressing excuse of a past. He hated feeling vulnerable and open, but he only had to remind himself of what he was working towards and it was all worth it.

And yet, a part of him actually enjoyed spending time with the queen. He found comfort in opening up to someone who trusted him, someone who called him a friend. He hadn't poured out his heart and his feelings to another person in, well, ever. It was a new experience, and it wasn't necessarily a bad one.

But no. He couldn't get sentimental now. He was so close to seizing power. He had to stay focused and push those feelings away. He had to build more walls around his heart and turn it back to ice.

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><p><strong>Sorry once again for the wait. <strong><strong><strong>Please do favfollow/drop a review if you would be so kind. Feedback is always good, yes? ********

********Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>******


	5. Chapter 5

**I really got you guys with the Hans is evil surprise, didn't I? Honestly, how many of you actually saw that coming? I got more reviews in the last chapter, so I'm thinking that you guys enjoyed it? I certainly hope so. There was a little Kristanna moment in the previous chapter so I hope you liked that too. **

**This one's a little shorter than the previous one and there won't be as much Hans/Elsa in this chapter, but there's going to be sisterly love moments here because I just love how the two sisters just love each other and would do anything for each other. I also got some questions from you guys, some are answered here, but some will be answered in the next few chapters. Don't worry, everything will be explained in due time so be a little patient and you'll get your answers.**

******Thank you to those who favourited/followed and a special thanks to my lovely reviewers! I hope you all are enjoying this story. On with it, then!******

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter<em> 5

Anna had found a hood and threw it over her head. The stars in the early morning sky was still shining, twinkling brighter than ever. _The sky's awake, so I'm awake._

She sat on her bed and took a few deep breaths. She was hesitant and uncertain. Was it really the best way to do things? Kristoff was already up; she'd made sure of that. The only thing was to actually get up and find whatever it was that was bothering Elsa so much.

Sighing, she got onto her feet. The door opened with a small click and she slipped out of the room. The sun was beginning to rise, which meant it was time to go. A few golden rays shone onto the ground as the sun climbed up the horizon and into the sky.

The castle was nearly empty and so Anna easily crept out onto the uninhabited streets. The people were only just waking up and their princess could effortlessly pass through the town undetected. Upon reaching the edge of the town, she looked back once more. Was it really a good idea?

But there was no turning back. Anna faced the snowy ground and started her journey up the North Mountain.

A worried look was plastered on her face. She had a feeling that something was going to happen – something bad. She wasn't afraid of getting caught, mainly because she was absolutely certain that Kristoff would stop Elsa before she could even step out of the castle. But the feeling of looming dread was still there.

Not only that, but Anna felt so guilty that she was even doing such a thing. Ever since young, she'd always focused on integrity and honesty. She was always plain, always transparent. She wore her feelings on her sleeve and everyone knew everything about her. But now she was going behind her sister's back to find out secrets. She was a hypocrite.

There was a voice in her head, telling her that it was the only way to find out. Elsa would keep on hiding and running. _I wish you would tell me why. _But that didn't change anything. Justifying something didn't rewind time and change things. It just gave people an excuse to do it all over again.

Her watery eyes darted all around her, looking for something, anything, that could capture Elsa's attention. There was snow on the ground, and huge evergreen trees surrounding her. There were a few cabins here and there, but even as a princess she couldn't just barge in. Besides, if she needed a place to stay, she'd go to the ice castle.

Of course, the ice castle. Anna didn't know how she could have missed that. Finally having a direction and desperately hoping she was right, she started for the castle.

It turned out, she was right. The castle looked newer than ever. All the ice which was destroyed was now repaired and there were shadows on the wall. There was someone inside, and Elsa was probably hosting this person. But who was this person, and what was so important that Anna couldn't know? That was what the princess wanted to find out.

The door wasn't locked and she readily slipped into the castle. Her nerves were on edge and her heart was in her mouth. She was anxious and restless. But her curiosity pushed her forward, up the stairs. She nudged the door open and came face to face with the person.

He was untidy, to say the least. His unkempt hair reached to his shoulders and hair was beginning to grow from his upper lip and chin. His clothes which looked once regal and smart were tattered and torn. He was the messiest person she had ever seen.

Anna didn't recognise him at first, thinking that he was merely a lost and homeless man. But then, she looked closer. She knew him. She knew that auburn hair, no matter how dishevelled it may be. She knew those once-dreamy green eyes.

Fear gripped her heart and she stood frozen in front of him. "Hans."

Hans looked at her with a surprised look. "Anna, what are you doing here?" He sounded so stunned. "I'm sorry, that sounded so rude. It's just…I was expecting Elsa."

"Elsa?" she frowned, her mind thinking. "You're the one. Elsa's been leaving the castle to see you! You – Hans – the murderer!"

He looked away, his face pale. "I know. I'm sorry. I was exiled for it, banished from my own home. I came back to apologise and somehow…somehow Elsa forgave me." He glanced up, his eyes filled with remorse and guilt.

In response, Anna brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp. He was so different from the person she once knew. He was actually sorry for what he'd done. He was kind, compassionate and human. He was like…like the man she first met, the one he pretended to be.

How could she have been so blind? She was about to make the exact same mistake which nearly killed both her and Elsa. "If you think I believe you, then you're wrong!" she cried out.

His face fell and he looked so disappointed. "Anna, I know I've hurt you, but truly, I've-"

"No!" she interrupted him. She took a deep breath in, trying to keep her thoughts and emotions in. She needed to talk to Elsa. But now that he knew that she knew that Elsa had been seeing him, he'd try to run. Hurriedly, she took off her hood and threw it to him. "Put this on and make sure no one can see your face. Then follow me."

She didn't even check to see if he'd obeyed her instructions. All that was running through her mind was that she had sounded so confident, so sure of herself. She had commanded a criminal to do what she wanted. A flush of pride came unto her. She was stronger now, and she wouldn't let him step all over her. Not again, not ever.

Anna faced forward, her chin held a little higher as she began her journey to the castle. But should she have glanced back for a moment, she would have seen an evil look plain across Hans' face.

_._._._._.

Anna's newfound confidence went as quickly as it came, for by the time she reached the castle, she was shaking with fear. His hood was still up, preventing anyone from seeing who he really was. She rushed him into a room and shut the door behind her.

She leaned against the wall, her breath heavy. Hans looked at her and threw his hood back. He reached out and she flinched backwards. "Anna, please. I'm not going to hurt you," he coaxed, his voice comforting and soft.

The table beside her nearly toppled as she took a step back. How could she trust him? After everything he'd done. The answer was simple, really – she couldn't.

"I don't believe you," she answered, hesitant. Was he going to kill her for speaking her mind?

Hans sighed and buried his head in his hands. "I know." His voice was barely audible. "I regret what I did every minute of my life. And I know you don't trust me, but I really am sorry." He stayed rooted to the spot, knowing that if he moved closer Anna would panic. "I just hope one day you'll forgive me, like Elsa did."

Anger began to surge through her. Hans – the murder that he was – coming back into her life like that and making accusations. She wanted to shout at him and make him know how much pain he put her through. But even in her anger, she was still afraid. "How dare you say such a thing? Elsa doesn't know anything about you!"

A small, mirthless laugh escaped his lips. "Princess Anna, you know as well as I do that Elsa and I have been spending a lot of time together recently. I've gotten to know her very well, and she knows me well now too." His words were innocent enough, but subtly deceitful and gloating. He was adding insult to injury and he watched as his words ate at her heart.

She began to twist her fingers in nervousness. Distress was seen clearly on her face. "B-but you don't know…You didn't see her after you left." She was protesting, but her words were weak and her thoughts dying out before she could process them.

He shrugged, a smirk forming on his face. "I may not have seen it, but I know it. I've been talking with Elsa. She told me. She told me everything."

Anna couldn't take it anymore. _There's so much fear. _She threw the door open, desperately escaping him while she still had the chance. "I'll have guards posted outside, so don't try leaving the room. If you do, then I'll…just- don't." She didn't wait for a reply. She just ran out and slammed the door behind her. "Guards! Don't let anybody in. Or out."

The uniformed men bowed but she didn't respond. She gathered her skirt in her hands and took off running down the corridor. She had to find Elsa and get explanations. Going behind her back had only caused more confusion and more anguish. Now that she knew the truth, she needed explanations, and that was where Elsa came in.

_._._._._.

"Elsa!" she called, spotting a familiar head of platinum blonde hair. She ran towards her sister, almost tripping in the process. She noticed Kristoff by her side, never letting her leave the castle, as the couple had planned. The younger sister reached forward and embraced him, whispering a soft 'thank you' in his ear before pulling away. "Elsa, I need to talk to you." Kristoff took it as his cue and quickly left the room.

Anna faced her sister, distress written clearly on her face. "Elsa, I went up the North Mountain today." Elsa looked shocked, her blue eyes opened wide.

The older of the two looked away, trying to organize her thoughts and speak them as clearly as she could. "It's not what you think, Anna. You saw Hans, I know you did, but he's not evil anymore! He's kind, and sweet. He's compassionate, caring He's-"

"Here." Elsa looked up at her, expression urging her to continue. "I brought him here. He's too dangerous out there! What if he plans something? What if he tries to…" She couldn't bear to finish her sentence.

Elsa took Anna's hand in reassurance. "He won't. He's changed. I know he's done a lot of bad things in the past, and he knows it too. He's sorry for what he's done."

Anna remained silent. Perhaps she was wrong. If Elsa saw him nearly every day, then she would probably know the exiled prince better than Anna. Maybe she was letting her fear and her experiences control her. But that didn't change what he did to them.

"Please, Elsa, I don't trust him! Tell him to leave this kingdom. Tell me you'll never see him again!" she pleaded, her voice imploring. "Please Elsa! Just do this and make sure he can't hurt us anymore!"

In response, Elsa merely looked away. "I can't do that, Anna." She could vividly remember his strong arms around her, his warm lips against hers. She couldn't make him leave. She couldn't do that to herself. "I wish I could explain, but…you wouldn't understand."

She tried to go but Anna stopped her. "Then tell me why you go to him. Why you neglect your royal duties and disregard my birthday party to go to him."

"Anna..." How could she possibly tell her that Hans meant something to her? That her heart would beat faster in his presence, that she looked forward to seeing him like nothing she'd ever known before? How could she tell her that she loved him? "It's complicated." Anna looked so disheartened, so lost. "Just know that I know he will never hurt you and me. He's vulnerable and alone. Trust me, alright?"

The princess looked up at her sister and embraced her. "I trust you, Elsa. With my life."

"I love you, Anna."

The door opened and the sisters pulled apart to see who the intruder was. It was a maid, looking for Elsa. "I'm sorry to interrupt, your highnesses. Another suitor has arrived to see you, your highness. He was tired and wished to be escorted to his room. Shall I arrange a meeting tomorrow morning?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes, that will do fine. Thank you." She dismissed the maid with a wave of her hand, but Anna's curiosity wasn't satisfied.

"Who is it this time?" she asked, eager to know who the new guest was.

The maid paused for a moment, thinking. Silence hung in the air as the sisters waited for an answer. She finally remembered his name. "He introduced himself as Prince Hamlin, of the Southern Isles."

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><p><strong>So Hamlin's in Arendelle. I hope you haven't forgotten Hans' favourite brother already (the one from Chapter 1) so be prepared for more of him for the next few chapters. Next chapter should be up sometime within the next month, hopefully in the next two weeks. It should be pretty interesting, I hope. Patience, guys, remember. In the meantime, review maybe?<br>**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm so sorry this is so late. Please don't kill me. I fell sick, and it was pretty bad. So you can just blame disease for this horribly late chapter. Ahem, well I hope you liked the previous one. It wasn't as shocking(is that an appropriate word) as the ones before, but I hoped you liked it nonetheless. This one focuses more on plot and character development. This one has a lot of tiny nuances and hints which tell you what's coming up in the next few chapters. Let's see if you can find it. ****A few more questions are being answered here because there's another (short) Hans monologue which gives us an idea on what's going on inside that head of his. **

**Thank you all you lovely people who favourited, followed and reviewed. And thank you to all readers. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><span><em>Chapter 6<em>

Elsa sighed and ran her hands down the front of her dress, smoothing down imaginary creases. She checked herself in the mirror again, checking her hair, her shoes, her make-up – anything she could do buy just a few more moments.

A knock came from the door. That was the signal to exit and meet the guest. That is, Prince Hamlin of the Southern Isles, Hans' brother and the man seeking her hand in marriage.

Thoughts ran through her mind. He was not to be trusted. Hans spoke ill of all his brothers, and Elsa could just picture how big of an arrogant and insensitive prick he would be. He might be even worse than her previous suitors.

Another knock came from the door, more urgently this time. Elsa broke her gaze away from her nervous reflection and started for the throne room. Her fingers twisted around nervously. She just hoped that he wasn't a murderous psychopath who wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Prince Hamlin stood from his seat as she entered the room, a clear sign of respect. He bowed his head slightly and extended his arm. "Queen Elsa, it is a great honour to finally be of acquaintance to you. Prince Hamlin, at your service." She took his hand and he shook it warmly, firmly. It wasn't light and insincere. It wasn't tight and possessive.

He waited for her to sit before he took a seat opposite her. His posture was straight and he held himself in a noble manner, yet he never gave the aura of arrogance. His royal blazer was pristine and white. His auburn hair, slightly darker than his youngest brother's, was combed perfectly straight. His green eyes held honesty and veracity.

"Your highness, I understand it may be puzzling to know why I'm here, so allow me to explain. A few months ago, it came to our attention that my brother, Prince Hans, had committed an unthinkable act against both our kingdoms. As rulers and brothers, we gave him a just punishment." He paused for a moment, watching Elsa.

She looked impassive, but something changed within her when he mentioned Hans. "For that, Queen Elsa, we are genuinely sorry. I hope that this will not change relations between our kingdoms. I trust you received my letter a few weeks prior, and so I have come to request your hand in marriage."

Queen Elsa listened to him attentively and carefully, hearing his every word and watching his every move. She had to admit, she wasn't expecting to see a distinguished and sophisticated prince. Her prepared rejection faded away as she examined him even more. Perhaps her preconceptions were wrong. Perhaps he had good intentions after all.

Yet, how was she so sure that he was so pure in heart? He was already in power so he probably wasn't seeking more. He had honesty and simplicity plain on his face, which made him look trustworthy and kind. But there might be other things – a bad habit or an annoying flaw. She couldn't say yes, at least, not yet. Besides, she couldn't marry a man she just met.

"Prince Hamlin, thank you for travelling all this way to meet. I'm afraid I'm unable to give you a fixed answer at the moment. But I do invite you to stay in the castle a while longer, and I will arrange future meetings." Again, she was testing him. Was he reasonable? Was he understanding?

He was both, and more. He looked grateful that he even had this opportunity, that he wasn't sent away after the short meeting. "Of course, your highness. Thank you." She offered a small smile in return and called for a servant to bring him to his room.

Elsa sighed. She watched him leave through the large double doors before she made her way to the side door, wanting to retire in her room. She opened it, only to feel it knock against something. She heard a cry, more of surprise than pain. She turned, only to come face to face with her sister who was clearly trying to eavesdrop.

Anna had a sheepish look on her face, but showed no signs of real guilt. "How was he? Please tell me he wasn't arrogant like the last one, or insane like the one before, or awkward like the one before that…Tell me everything!"

The queen laughed slightly. "He isn't any of those. He's a real prince – noble, respectful, humble. He's the best suitor I've met so far." She sounded impressed, but the frown on her face contradicted her words.

"What did you say?" Anna's eyes were wide, eager for an answer. "You didn't send him away like the others, did you? You couldn't have!"

A smile came onto Elsa's face, amused by her sister's enthusiasm in her sister's personal life. "I asked him to stay. But I didn't say anything else." She couldn't say yes, and it wasn't because she was afraid of Prince Hamlin's potential bad habits. She'd be a fool not to look within herself and know the real reason why she was so reluctant to say yes. And if there was one thing Queen Elsa wasn't, it was a fool.

It was then that Anna noticed the upset look on her sister's face. "Elsa? What's wrong? If you don't want to talk about it, then it's alright, really. I'm sorry I tried to eavesdrop, but I didn't hear anything, promise!" She bit her bottom lip, nervousness on her face.

But could Elsa really trust her with what she was thinking? Anna seemed to handle finding Hans alright, but the issue was yet to be settled, and this was something else entirely. But Anna deserved to know. Besides, she may even offer some advice.

"Anna…remember how I was seeing Hans a lot?" Anna's expression changed and she nodded. "Well, I really was seeing him. I mean, on the day of your party, yesterday…before I left him, we-uh…I-I kissed him. Anna…I think I've fallen in love with him."

Anna looked stunned. "Oh wow I did not see that coming," she exhaled. Elsa gazed at her anxiously and Anna rushed to fix her mistake. "But , you know, that's okay." She was breathing heavily, trying to hide her emotions.

From her tone and behavior, it wasn't hard to tell that she wasn't being completely honest. "Anna, please. Tell me what you really think," Elsa said in a serious tone, her lips ashen.

The princess took a moment to compose herself. She finally found the words to express her feelings. "How? How can you love him? Elsa, he tried to kill both of us! He lied to us, manipulated us, left me to die and nearly killed you! He's a…a murderer!"

"He's not!" Elsa was quick to defend him. "He's just misunderstood. I would know. I've spoken to him. He's changed."

Anna sighed. "But that's not what everyone else is going to think. Elsa, if you choose Hans over his brother and all the kingdoms find out, what do you think's going to happen? I know it sounds really bad, but because we're royalty, we have a duty to our kingdom, and that comes before the duty to our hearts."

Elsa nodded. Anna was right, of course. Allowing herself a smile, she hugged her sister warmly. Elsa thought back to their childhood, where Anna was always happy-go-lucky, never being able to sit still for very long. And now, she was grown-up and mature, offering advice and insight to the queen of Arendelle.

Anna really had matured to become a fine and sophisticated young lady. But Elsa wasn't there throughout her childhood. The years of growing up, the life lessons learnt – she'd missed them all.

_._._._._.

Hans smiled to himself as he gazed up into the night sky. So far, the plan was going absolutely perfectly. The most delicate part of the plan was grabbing Anna's attention. He knew that Elsa would never bring him to castle. But he was done manipulating Elsa; she fully believed that he'd changed. He needed people to think he'd changed.

So he thought about it. He needed someone who would lead him to the castle. Someone who wouldn't trust him to stay in Elsa's ice castle, but would trust him not to take down all the guards and escape. And then it came to him. That person he was looking for was Anna. From there, it was all a matter of making sure Elsa's disappearance caught her attention so that she'd go searching for him. The rest, they say, is history.

Still, he did find it rather boring, cooped up in the plain room. The sisters had yet to visit him, though he sensed at least one of them would come soon. If it were Elsa, he'd play the part of the lover; if it were Anna, he'd gain her trust just as he had gained her sister's. He was tempted to begin to manipulate the maid who faithfully brought him his meals, but that would be too suspicious.

Things would go smoothly from then on. He just needed to be patient and wait for his opportunities. He wouldn't make the same mistake as when he was previously in Arendelle. He won't be rash, or overly eager. This time, he plan would work. He would make sure it would.

Voices came from outside his door, breaking him from his reverie. He recognized them immediately as those belonging to the two sisters. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying in their hushed tones. He shut his eyes, trying to hear the snippets of their conversation.

"…sure you want to tell him…right thing to do…runs in the family…evil…take over Arendelle…a real gentlemen…changed for the better…good luck." The murmurs stopped and Hans immediately turned back to the view of the distant stars, feigning ignorance of even knowing they were behind the door.

There was a click and the door opened. Hans turned with an expectant look, eager to see if both would enter, or only one. Elsa slipped in and closed the door behind her. She was alone. Hans smiled. It was going to be easy.

"Elsa!" he rushed to her and embraced her. Somehow, acting the part of a lovesick prince came naturally to him. "When Anna brought me here, I thought I might not meet you again. I'm delighted to see you here, really."

She gave him a shy smile and a red hue crept onto her cheeks. "I'm glad to see you too, Hans. But I need to talk to you about an urgent matter." Hans took both her hands and gazed up at her downtrodden face.

His hands held hers tightly, giving her comfort. "Elsa, what's the matter?" Her eyes held nothing but worry and he looked deeply into them, searching them. He was genuinely curious at what she was about to discuss with him. Something was distressing her greatly, something involving him.

Elsa paused for a moment, struggling to find words to start. "Do you remember how I said that I have to find a king? Many suitors have been coming here, but most of them are greatly flawed. Too arrogant, too boastful, too self-indulged. Every time, I sent them away after the first meeting. But today I met someone who was actually kind and caring, who was respectful and honest."

Hans nodded, letting the information sink in. Was she trying to tell him that she couldn't be with him anymore? That would be an obstacle in his master plan. He couldn't afford that. He needed to get rid of that threat. The suitor was likely to be staying in the castle, so he needed to get rid of him. Permanently.

But Elsa wasn't done quite yet. "Hans, the suitor who came was kind and respectful. He was regal, a true prince. His name was Prince Hamlin, and he was from the Southern Isles."

"Hamlin? My brother?" Hans blurted unthinkingly. "He's here? Now? In the castle? Asking for your hand in marriage?" His mind was in a whirlpool of thoughts. He couldn't believe that he was thinking of killing Hamlin, the only person who was actually kind to him.

Elsa held his hand a little tighter. "Yes, he's here. And there are a lot of questions about two princes of the Southern Isles working together to overthrow me. But I told them they were wrong. You didn't know he was here, right? Tell me that you're not after the throne."

Her words made him recall what he was in Arendelle for. He was there to gain her trust and seize the power from himself. He couldn't let anybody stand in his way, not even Hamlin. "Of course, Elsa. I was surprised when you told me my brother was here. I never thought I'd see him again." He paused for a moment and moved a little closer. "And I'm not evil, Elsa. You believe me, don't you? I've changed, really. I know what I did was wrong and it won't happen again. I swear."

She rested her head against the base of his neck and heard his steady heartbeat. "I know you're good. Your heart is good and pure."

"Because you thawed it."

Elsa looked up at him. "What am I going to do? Even if Hamlin is the most tolerable man I've met, I don't want to marry him. I don't want to be forced to marry anyone!" At that point in time, she only wanted him. _With you, I found my place._

He remained silent for a moment, thinking. "Let me talk to him. I'll try to explain. Hamlin's a good man, probably the best one I've ever met. He'll understand." His face lit up in a smile, though small and strained, which gave Elsa the slightest bit of comfort. Silence hung in the air.

Hans took the opportunity to begin planning what to say to Hamlin. Would his brother even listen to him? He hoped so, because if he didn't there might have to bean 'accident' staged. But this was his brother he was talking about. He didn't know if he had the heart to hurt him. After all he's done.

Elsa was still considering the option. Was it a wise decision? Letting the two brothers meet up may not be the best choice. Perhaps she was letting her own emotions make the decision, which she knew was a dangerous thing to do. But he could be trusted. She was sure. At least, she hoped she was sure.

"Hans," she broke the silence. She had to know if he could be trusted. "I love you."

What a surprise that was to Hans. He had no expected her to be so open and forthcoming. He heard sincerity in her words and knew that he had successfully gotten her to trust him. The two sisters were more alike than he originally thought. They both made the same mistake of loving the evil man who was out to steal the throne. "I love you too."

He reached forward and embraced her. He felt her melt into his arms and a wicked grin formed on his face, unbeknownst to her.

And it had been all too easy.

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><p><strong>Hans is evil! You guys already knew it, though. That was so 2 chapters ago, right? I do wonder, though, what you guys think of Hamlin. He's a great guy, evidently, but I find he lacks passion and depth as a character. Well, considering I created him if you guys hate him it's kind of my fault. He'll be in the next chapter, so that's good news for those who like him. I should stop before I start revealing more plot bunnies, right?<strong>

**Next chapter should be up within two weeks, I hope. Depends on my roller-coaster of a life.**

**Please do review! It keeps me going, so more reviews means faster updates! (Not that I'm trying to bribe you readers or anything of that sort.)**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Please don't kill me. I tried updating earlier, I really did. This is the first time in two weeks I have touched the computer. You can thank my busy and hectic schedule for that. So if this chapter is very rushed and rough, I'm sorry. I'm terrible at updating, I know. Forgive me, will you?  
>Thank you everyone who reviewedfavourited/followed. I truly do appreciate each and every one of them, and they inspire me to keep writing whenever I can, so please do continue if you want more frequent updates.  
>It's a pretty bad chapter, but enjoy anyway.<strong>

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><p><span><em>Chapter 7<em>

There was a knock on Prince Hamlin's door. He stood from his desk, his curiosity piqued. "Your highness," he greeted with a bow. "What do I owe this visit?"

Elsa merely smiled in return, her nerves on end. No one knew about the covert meeting, not even Anna. If anything went awry, it would all be on her. "Prince Hamlin, there's someone who requests to see you. If you're not too occupied, that is."

"Not at all," he replied quickly. He was in the middle of writing a letter to his brother and king, reporting on the first meeting he had with Elsa. But that could wait. If the queen herself came to escort him, there must be a pressing matter to attend to. Besides, he was curious to find out who this person was. "Please, lead the way."

She nodded and began walking, ensuring that the prince was behind her all the while. Her heart was pounding in her chest. At last, she reached Hans' room. She knocked twice before opening the door and entering. She invited Hamlin into the room before slipping out, leaving the brothers in the room alone.

To say that Hamlin was confused would be an understatement. The curtains were drawn and shadows fell on the room. Elsa had disappeared the moment he entered. For a moment, he thought he'd been led to his death. But she wouldn't have done that to him. Not the queen of Arendelle.

Meanwhile, Hans sat in the corner of the room, hidden by shadows. His brother was there, right in front of him. He could just call out, reach out and Hamlin would know he was there. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Hamlin's voice echoed throughout the dark and silent room. "If there's no one there, I'll just go then." He turned to go.

Hans panicked. He couldn't allow his brother to leave and slip through his fingers. "Wait!" Hamlin stopped in his tracks and faced the direction of the voice. Hans stepped out of the shadows. "It's me, brother."

Hamlin didn't care that Hans had disgraced the kingdom, or that he was supposed to be far away. Without a moments' hesitation, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him in a warm and firm embrace. "Hans…it really is you. I've missed you, brother."

The younger brother chuckled in happiness. "As have I." His face fell and a bitter look came onto his face. "You were the only one who missed me, weren't you?"

"Some were dismayed at you punishment. There were a few who commented that your exile was a little harsh. Several were-"

"Hamlin. The truth, please."

He sighed. "I can't lie to you and say that everyone was devastated at your banishment. You betrayed the kingdom and ruined our reputation. Many were glad to hear that you'd gone." Hans' face was contorted with sourness. "But not me. Hans, I always knew you were a good man with a good heart. Don't you ever forget that."

Hans nodded. "Thank you." His heart swelled at the conversation they were having. He was getting too emotional, too attached. He needed to change the subject before it was too late. He had to focus on his task and keep his eyes on the throne – his target. "But that's not why I wanted to speak to you." He paused for a moment. "I heard you came to court Queen Elsa."

Hamlin's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I did. I came to try to fix the damage from the incident and mend the ties between the two kingdoms." His head tilted to the side slightly. "Why are you here?" His voice no longer held the warmth it did a moment ago. Now it was filled with suspicion. Because while he loved his brother, he didn't trust him.

"I came to seek forgiveness. I found Queen Elsa, apologised to her, talked to her…" he trailed off and cleared his throat. "Which is why I wanted to tell you that you can't marry her."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't love you."

Hamlin shook his head. "This is a marriage of convenience, Hans. There is little love involved."

"She should be marrying the man she loves!"

"And who would that be?"

"Me."

The older brother laughed despite himself. "You? The one who tried to kill her not too long ago? The one who lied to her sister so that you could seize the throne?" He paused for a moment, realisation coming upon him. His mirthless smile disappeared. "This is the real reason you're here, isn't it? To take power."

Hans shook his head. "No! I came here seeking forgivness-"

"Enough of this, Hans! You've ripped a hole in our kingdom's reputation; do you want to tear it apart now?"

"Hamlin…I love her."

He shook his head, giving Hans a look. "No you don't. Hans, please, give it up. You've always been determined as a child and this is you proving that you can do it once again. Making the queen think you've fallen in love with her, seizing her kingdom, then what are you going to do? Kill her?"

Hans remained silent. "I really do love her." His voice was soft, barely audible. And the sincerity within it made Hamlin pause.

The brothers locked eyes. Hamlin stared at him with his brows furrowed, trying to figure him out. Perhaps, just perhaps, he was telling the truth. There they remained for a while, silent and solemn.

"Alright," Hamlin breathed. "Maybe you really do love her." Hans smiled, knowing that was the closest he was ever going to get regarding his relationship with Elsa. "But what do you want to do? Hans, the barriers keeping you apart are endless."

"But I love her. I know it's going to be hard, but please…just let me try."

Hamlin nodded, the small frown still on his face. "Alright. I'll leave her alone and let you two work things out." He did find it a little suspicious that Hans was acting so strangely passionate but he reasoned that it was the love talking. "Just promise that you know what you're doing."

Hans laughed. "This is love, brother! Not knowing what you're doing is part of the whole concept of love. But don't worry; I'll do the right thing."

"Good." As if there was a telepathic link, they simultaneously reached out and embraced each other tightly and warmly. They knew that it was the last moment they'd have together and alone for a long time.

They pulled away after a short but intense moment. "Thank you, Hamlin." The older of the two nodded and turned to go. "Just to let you know, Elsa isn't the only one who has my love."

Hamlin stopped in the doorway, the door open and his hand gripping the handle. He turned back for just a moment. "I love you too, Hans."

_._._._._.

Elsa stared deep into the mirror. She didn't look right. She didn't feel right either. Her lips were abnormally pale and her eyes looked empty and hollow. Was it really her in the mirror?

A cool breeze blew through the room and she bristled. Her hands instinctively went to her arms to hug herself, keeping her body warm. She sneezed a sneeze that racked her whole body. Reaching out, she gripped the edge of the table to steady herself.

She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened. She was late. Lifting her skirt to allow more movement, she turned to the door and hastened from the room. The prince of the Southern Isles was waiting, and she wouldn't want to keep him there for too long. The world was spinning around her as she practically ran to the meeting room.

Prince Hamlin turned to look as the door flew open and she briskly walked in. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Prince Hamlin," she said, her shoes making a sharp sound with every step against the cold marble floor. She offered a weak smile as she sat across him.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me," he replied, brushing off her apology with a small wave of his hand. He leaned forward slightly to study her a little better, his brows furrowing slightly. "Your highness, are you feeling well? I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but notice you look rather pale."

Elsa was surprised. Of all the suitors she had entertained, he was the only one who was the slightest bit concerned about her. The closest thing prior to this was a money-minded prince enquiring about the kingdom's economic growth. Prince Hamlin really was something. "I'm fine," she cleared her throat. "Thank you."

He nodded, though looking unconvinced. He then proceeded to business. "I requested for this meeting because of the discussion that I had with my brother several days ago." He paused for just a second. "We discussed several things, and after much consideration, I have come to a decision on this courtship."

Her expectant gaze landed on him, her interest piqued. Nervously, her fingers twisted behind her back. "I know I came to Arendelle to seek you hand in marriage," he began. "And do not mistake me, your highness, since I did enjoy the time I spent with you, but now I'm not sure if marriage is the best idea. I spoke to Hans, and what made me hesitate was the fact that he said he loves you. Your highness, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you love him too?"

She smiled softly, hiding her anxiety. "Yes, I do." She spoke them with honesty, and then added Hamlin to the list of people who knew her true feelings for Hans. "But please, I do hope you can keep this in confidance." She had spent time with him after the first meeting they had together. She showed him the stables one day and had tea with him another day. From what she learnt about him, she knew he could be trusted.

Hamlin nodded. "Of course, your highness. I just needed to make sure my choice was the right one." He paused for a moment, trying to find the words to convey his meaning. "Your highness, being a ruler, you have to fulfil certain commitments, including ensuring your public image remains good. I don't intent to preach, but if you truly want to be with my brother, you'll have to be very careful."

"Don't worry, I will," she replied with as much confidence as she could muster. "Thank you, Prince Hamlin." She stood up and extended an arm in thanks. He followed suit, shaking her hand warmly.

A servant soon appeared with his entire luggage. He had gathered his sailors as well so they were prepared to leave. That was it. He was going. But a nagging thought that Hans was still up to no good wouldn't go away. He had to trust him. And at least trust Elsa. "If you need any help, I'll be glad to assist in any way."

Elsa nodded and smiled before curtsying, at which he responded with a bow. She watched as he slowly rode away, a small and polite smile plastered on her face in an attempt to hide her nervousness. Was sending him away really a good idea?

Perhaps she had been so blinded that all she could think of was sending every suitor away. The council of Arendelle would be displeased. She sat down and took a few deep breaths. She needed to talk to Hans.

Her mind was swirling as she walked through the corridors. So many things to think about. Decisions had to be made, and fast. Was love truly the solution to her problem? She certainly hoped so.

The door opened in front of her, and a pair of green eyes locked with her blue ones. Hans let her in before shutting the door behind her. "Elsa," he smiled, holding her close and letting her rest her head on his broad shoulders.

"Hamlin just left," she stated plainly after they'd pulled away. Hans just nodded grimly. She wondered why Hans had declined when she offered to arrange another meeting to say goodbye. But there were much more pressing things to talk of. "Hans, I can't keep doing this. Sending suitors away because I don't want to marry them."

Hans looked at her and frowned. "But you don't love them, do you?"

"No, of course not!" she was quick to answer. "But Hans, I'm the Queen. Not everything I do can be for love. Ultimately, I have to make a decision."

"What are you trying to say?" His frown deepened.

"I don't know…I don't know what to do. I have to marry royalty, Hans."

He paused for a moment, thinking. "Can't you wait a few years? My banishment ends in four and a half years. Elsa…will you marry me?"

Elsa just stared at him, surprised. "You're being serious?" He nodded and gulped nervously. She allowed herself a small smile before sighing dejectedly. "I want to say yes. I really do. But the thing is, I can't wait four and a half years. The council wants me married in less than three."

"Oh." Hans looked down. He was so close. So close to taking the crown. He had to think of a different plan, and fast. "So, that's it? You're just going to give up on us? On love?" he demanded, a passionate glint in his eyes.

She took a step back, the outburst surprising her. She didn't remain surprised for very long, because she instinctively retaliated. "I'm not giving up on anything! But you're right, because I'm the only one giving something up, isn't that right?"

He wasn't expecting that at all. "This is all I have! I have everything to lose here!"

"I have so much more to lose than you – my kingdom, the respect of my people. It's not easy ruling this land, but I suppose you wouldn't know that, would you?"

"You're really bringing my banishment up? It's not my fault I'm exiled!"

"Not your fault? So it's not your fault you tried to take over my kingdom?"

"Which you said you had forgiven me for!"

Elsa visibly softened at this. "You're right," she said in a small voice. "I don't want you to leave. But I can't turn my back on my kingdom, either. I'm just so lost."

Just then, the clock tower chimed. Elsa gasped and jerked away. "Is that really the time? I'm late!" She quickly turned her back and made for the door. "We'll talk another time," she called out as she closed the door behind her.

Hans stood in the empty room, accusations and retaliations echoing off the walls.

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><p><strong>So this is their first fight. Next chapter should be less...dramatic? Not sure if that's the right word. There'll be less conversation and more thoughts in that one because word is you guys like those sort of things. Maybe I'll make them more frequent, then. I'll try to write and update the next chapter by the end of this month. <strong>

**Question of the Chapter - favourite song from Frozen? Personally, mine is Love Is An Open Door. Because it's the only love duet in it? Perhaps. Probably. Let me know your opinion!**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N One major test down, which gave me some time to finish up this chapter. I'm so sorry for this late chapter. Next one should be sooner, I promise. Thank you for all the support despite the long waiting time, they really keep me inspired to keep writing in spite of the busy and exhausting days I have to endure. The fact that each and every one of you are reading this story just makes me want to keep writing. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you guys. Well, enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><em><span>Chapter 8<span>  
><em>

Elsa didn't return the next day. The words and accusations still rang through his mind. He couldn't believe he fought with her. He fought with the only chance he had at seizing power. And he was so close. She just had to say yes to marrying him, then actually go through with the wedding this time.

He paced the floor, lay on his bed and gazed out the window. None of these could tear his mind away from the fact that he had made a mistake which may have cost him his whole plan. Not to mention, his relationship with the queen.

A strange feeling tugged at his heartstrings, making him feel uncomfortable and upset. It was almost as if he actually felt something for Elsa, as if he actually loved her. But he didn't. He loved her power and her position. He loved how desperate she was to find someone to confide in. But he didn't love her.

If he did, his plan would never work. He needed to remain detached and professional. Elsa was just a tool to get what he really wanted. He was just using her. He didn't care for her in any way at all. She was the kind of person who had everything she ever wanted. She had the throne, she had a loving sister. She didn't have a single reason to dislike her life.

But he knew that she was broken. The guilt from harming Anna still ate at her heart, overwhelming her and consuming her. He knew the fear and the pain of having powers, powers which could hurt other people. He knew how isolated and lonely she felt alone in her room.

She had stayed there for years, cooped up in the prison she created for herself. Compared to Hans, who had been staying in his room for just over two weeks, and was so sick of it already. He wasn't as tough or as tenacious as her.

Now that Hans thought about it, Elsa was so amazing, so determined and loving. She had such great strength and depth of character. She could have turned evil any time. She could have destroyed the people who mocked her and attacked her, but she didn't. She chose to love them instead.

And she had chosen to love him too. She was afraid and cautious the first time she saw him, but that was expected. After that, she chose to listen as he explained himself. She opened herself up to him, and in turn he opened up to her too. He may be a manipulative murderer, but what he said about his family and his years of pain, all of it was real.

So when they had fought, Hans couldn't help but feel his heart clench. He couldn't help but feel ashamed and guilty for what he had said to her. He waited for her to return, but realised that he couldn't keep doing that. He couldn't expect her to look for him every single time he wanted to say something to her. Her visits, ironically, weren't as frequent as when he was staying in her ice castle.

He needed to get out of his room. He couldn't stay there, powerless and helpless. He had waited for too long, remaining passive. But no more. At night, he'd sneak out. He'd find out which room everyone else was in so he'd know where to avoid.

Or even better, he'd find Elsa's study. It would probably be near the entrance of the castle, where she admitted some ministers and councilmen of sorts. He'd find it, then he'd find out which suitors were coming, and when.

Hans would be so in control with all this information, he was certain that in due time, he could somehow persuade the councilmen to change their minds on the marriage they had planned for Queen Elsa. That was how all the great kings won wars. Not by pure bloodshed, but by being tactical and intelligent.

Being manipulative and intelligent was always one of his strong points, but he couldn't influence anybody if he didn't have the right information. That would soon change. He would slowly put the seed of his ideas into the minds of others, and then watch as his genius unfolded.

The kingdom was his.

_._._._._.

The full moon illuminated the whole room as the curtains were threw wide open, allowing light in. It was well past midnight and Hans knew that everyone was asleep. He crept precariously to the door and slowly, he turned the knob. It opened with a small click and he peered out into the corridor. It was empty.

Anna had stationed two guards outside his door for the first few days of his arrival in the castle, but upon finding out, Elsa quickly sent them away, claiming it was an invasion of Hans' privacy. She had coaxed him into promising he wouldn't leave his room, something he faithfully kept to until that night. That was a perk of having the Queen wrapped around his finger – bypassing castle security.

He closed the door with another soft click before darting into the cover of the shadows. Light shone in from tall windows reaching to the ceiling. The full moon hung in the midnight blue sky and Hans thanked his lucky stars that he didn't need a torch to navigate around the castle.

Now that he was sure he couldn't be seen, he turned right, then left. The castle was a maze to him and he had no clue where he was. He guessed that Elsa's study would be near the main entrance to the castle, where she would admit guests for meetings sometimes. The problem was, where was the main entrance?

Slowly, Hans turned to his right and crept down the corridor. He looked down to see if there was anything which may give him a clue to where the entrance was. All he saw was a long stretch of doors down an even narrower corridor. He took a few steps forward before he stopped. Why would the corridor leading to the main area be narrower than before?

How stupid he felt as he turned around and walked to the other end of the long corridor, cursing at his foolishness. A floorboard creaked beneath the carpeted floor and he froze. He waited for a moment. There was silence, no one coming to arrest him. Relieved, he let out a breath and continued creeping forward.

Finally, he reached the end of the long corridor. The one it led to was wider, taller. He smiled to himself. Yes, this was definitely leading to the main entrance of the huge castle. He continued his walk, taking one cautious step at a time.

Another creak echoed through the halls. He froze for a moment, shorter this time.

Then, he continued. He didn't know why he was acting so nervous. It was the middle of the night. No one was awake. He could strut around the castle for all he liked. He straightened up and huffed slightly, the loud breath audible in the still silence.

Hans took no more than two steps forward than he saw an orange light. It was a guard. His one arm held a flaming torch, the other wielding a sword. Panic gripped his heart as he glanced from side to side, looking for something to shield him from the guard.

Something silver flashed in his peripheral vision, catching his attention. A full suit of armour stood to his right. Staelthily and quickly, he ducked and hid behind the armour. There, he waited.

The guard crept around the castle, cautiously, the tip of his sword pointed in front. He walked along, his footsteps silent. Hans held his breath as he approached. He couldn't get caught. Not this close to achieving information – the power he wanted but didn't have.

The guard walked closer towards him. Hans willed his heart to stop thumping so loudly and rapidly, lest the guard could hear it. His breath were soft and shallow for fear that the guard would notice the small exhalation of air.

Closer and closer he came, sword drawn and torch held out in front of him. _Creak._ The guard came to a halt right in front of the suit of armour Hans was hiding behind. He looked around him, ears strained to hear a single bit of noise.

_Don't panic._ Hans clutched the fabric of his shirt, praying that he wouldn't be seen. If the guard moved just one inch to his right, he'd be caught. Until then, the shadows hid him from sight. The guard frowned, turning to his right. Slowly.

Another creak sounded and the guard stopped. He glanced at the floorboard. Then he realized the sound made was by him. With a sheepish shake of his head, he sheathed his sword and went on his way.

Gradually, the light faded away and completely disappeared as the guard turned the corner and walked down the corridor. Hans let out a breath. He had been so close to getting caught. He needed to be more careful.

With another breath of immense relief, Hans stood from his hiding place and continued his search. His heart was still beating rapidly and his legs felt like jelly. He hadn't felt that way since he was but a small child.

He remembered the incident well. He was a young boy then, when he and his brothers had stolen some bread from the kitchen. The cook was running around the castle looking for the guilty princes, while they hid in a closet savouring each bite.

Of course, they had gotten caught. His brothers let him take all the blame, and all the punishment while they got off scot-free. It was disgustingly unfair. But he would make things right. He'd seize the kingdom of Arendelle and show them that he was the most powerful among all the others.

Hans moved quicker now, but just as quietly. He was as determined as ever to take the throne. He'd show them. He'd show all of them. He'd make them regret how they treated him as a child. He'd force them–

He froze. What was that sound? He heard it again. He dove behind a large flower pot and listened intently. It was coming from inside one of the rooms.

It was the sound of coughing. A person was trying to suppress coughs which came again and again, refusing to stop. Someone was sick.

That didn't matter to Hans. It had nothing to do with his plans. Yet the coughs rang out and echoed through him. The sound was like the one he had heard when he was a boy growing up in the Southern Isles, when sickness had struck his family.

But it was no time to think of the painful past. Ignoring the pain of the occupant of the room, he carried on. A large flight of spiraling stairs greeted him as he turned the next corner.

Confident and please, he descended the long flight of stairs to find a large and empty area, with two large double doors facing him. To his right was a narrow passageway which led to a sliding door. He walked towards them, opened them and entered. Lighting a nearby lamp, he saw a large wooden table with official documents and a single name plate – Queen Elsa of Arendelle. He had succeeded.

His hands grabbed the documents and he scanned through them quickly but carefully. He took in every detail which he could. Suitors from all over the land were writing to ask for permission to go to Arendelle and have her hand in marriage. Kingdoms wrote to offer trade deals, eager to get their hands on the finest quality of ice throughout all the lands.

Something caught his eye. A piece of document swept carelessly under a folder, with the royal crest of the Southern Isles. The paper was old and tattered. It was crumpled at the edges and it was yellow from years of rotting in a corner.

He held it closer to the lamp and looked closer. It was dated seventeen years ago, though it was hard to read the writing as the ink had faded after years of poor preservation. And it seemed like Elsa was trying to decipher the faded words, because fresh ink had gone over them.

She had yet to make good progress, for the only words she had gone over were 'Southern Isles'. Hans looked closer. He saw his parents' names and he frowned. What could she possibly be interested in?

The words were enough to spark his curiosity, but nowhere near enough to satisfy it. He needed to find out more, even if it meant going to her study every night to read more of the strange document. Why was Elsa so interested in something that happened in his home seventeen years ago?

Hans was going to uncover the mystery. He swore it.

* * *

><p><strong>And here's the things that go on inside Hans' head. It's kind of confusing, I know, with quite a lot of stuff going on in this chapter. More and more information will be revealed in due time, but then there's the wait. I hope you guys liked this chapter, since apparently you guys like seeing what makes Hans tick. <strong>

**On a side note, 9 days to the Football World Cup! Are you guys going to be watching? I definitely am. Question of the chapter: who are you supporting for World Cup? I'm a die-hard Germany fan myself. But for all you non-football watchers, the question would be: what do you think Elsa's up to, snooping around in the business of the Southern Isles?**

**Don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review!**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**So here's a surprise update, one much sooner than I thought I could. I'm about to head of for a holiday so I won't be able to type much, that's why I thought I'd leave you guys with a little something before I go. This would also explain for the shortness and the roughness of this whole chapter. Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. They're the ones which keep me writing when I feel so uninspired. And now, when I have inspiration, I don't have time. Such is life. **

**Here is a response to a request for more Kristoff, Sven and Olaf. Olaf hasn't been in the story at all, and Kristoff's appearances are minimal. He'll be more and more important later on. If you have any other requests, I will try to deliver if it doesn't clash with the whole plot. So, enjoy! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter 9<em>

Morning had arrived. The sun shone brightly in the sky and pure white clouds dotted the clear blue expanse. The grass was green and flowers of endless colours swayed in the small breeze. The birds chirped and flew around, enjoying their freedom.

In the castle, it was a different story altogether. People bustled about in a mad rush and anxiety was high. Servants hustled around, delivering this and transporting that. Guards walked around with a hand gripped tightly on the handle of their swords, just in case they needed to use them.

Hans was in his room, chest going up and down rhythmically. His hair was rustled and his eyelids shut. He was on his bed, sound asleep, entirely unaffected by the commotion outside of his doors. Small and quiet breaths came from him as he breathed in and out in a quiet and peaceful rest.

Anna strode around the castle, Kristoff and two guards flanking her, half-running to keep up with her speed. She turned the corridor to face a row of doors before her. "Which one?" she asked, her voice shaking with raw emotion.

"The fourth door, your highness," one of the guards replied, nodding to his partner. Simultaneously, they grabbed the hilts of their sword and with a fluid motion, unsheathed them.

The princess didn't turn back. She ran towards the door and threw it open, revealing the occupied room. There, in the centre of the room, was a bed, with Hans sleeping soundly. She almost didn't proceed, but her emotions took control of her and she threw herself on him.

She balled her hands into fists and began to hit him. "Wake up! You monster – wake up!" Kristoff moved forward instinctively and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back. He had concern and anxiety all over his face, but he was most concerned about Anna.

Hans stirred slightly, opening his eyes slowly as the late morning light blinded him. Slowly, he began to sit up, his hand rubbing his tired eyes. He saw the four figures in front of him. "Princess Anna?" he spoke, his throat dry and his voice groggy.

"What did you do to her?" Anna demanded, her voice rising.

He shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" she shouted. "Elsa! You did something to her! Two days ago you spoke to her before she left for the council meeting, then she cancelled all appointments and locked herself in her room, then this morning she woke up and she was–" Anna looked down and bit her lip as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her.

Kristoff stood next to her, holding her. "It's going to be okay, Anna. Everything's going to be fine," he said to her. He held her in his strong arms before he turned to Hans, his eyes full of steel. "You," he barked at him. "You're coming with me."

_._._._._.

"Where are you taking me?" Hans asked, his voice concealing his nervousness well.

Kristoff glanced at him from the corners of his eyes. "We're just going for a walk." The mountain-man towered above him and it was easy to see who was more well-built. Hans paled visibly, afraid of the price he had to pay for a crime he didn't commit. "Sven is probably hungry."

His heart pounded rapidly. Who - or what - was Sven? Perhaps it was a trained beast that would tear him apart and eat him alive. Anna wouldn't let that happen, right? Then again, she did hate him a lot. He was going to die. He just knew it. No one would even know. He was dead to his family and the only person who cared wasn't around to help. Would his life flash before him, just like he imagined?

"Relax, nothing's going to happen to you. I just want to talk. I can practically hear how fast the blood is flowing in you." Kristoff looked calm and nonchalant while Hans barely had any colour on his lips.

He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Um, Sven?" He just needed to make sure this 'Sven' was not going to harm him.

With a raised eyebrow, Kristoff looked at him. "My reindeer."

"Oh." Hans relaxed and brought a hand to his chest to feel his heartbeat slowly return to its normal pace. "I didn't do it. Whatever happened to Elsa. I'm innocent."

"I know." Hans gazed at him with surprise as the pair walked through the stable doors. "But Anna thinks otherwise, that's why she's not here. You can't blame her for thinking it, though. You did try to kill Elsa once before."

Hans looked abashed. "Yes, I know. And I'm sorry for that. Really." Silence descended and the only sound was their footsteps crunching on the straw-covered ground. "What happened to Elsa? I don't even know what I'm being accused of."

Kristoff sighed and ran a hand through his hair. They reached the booth were a goofy-looking reindeer looked expectantly at him. "She's sick." Kristoff threw Sven a carrot with a careless swing of his arm.

"Sick? Does she have a flu?"

"No, that's not it. This morning, when the servant entered, she found blood."

Hans frowned. "Blood? Had Elsa fallen? Is she wounded?"

Kristoff shook his head. "She was coughing blood."

"Oh."

"Hans." The exiled prince looked up. "I think Elsa may die."

_._._._._.

The queen of Arendelle lay on her bed, her skin a ghostly shade of white and her body weak and tired. A soft breath escaped from her pale lips and she closed her eyes. The night had been terrible. She barely had any sleep and she woke up to a horrifying sight. Her breaths became shallower as she relaxed and tried to get rest. She was on the brink of sleep when a series of coughs racked her body and she held a hand to her mouth as she was taught to do. Her hand dropped to the white sheets. She looked down. The sheets were tainted with blood.

"Elsa?" Anna's hesitant voice floated across the room. The redhead scuttled across and knelt by her sister's bed. "How are you doing?"

A weak and painful smile played on Elsa's lips. "I'm a little better. But I'm not sure how long more of this I can take." She met Anna's worried gaze and sighed. "What did the physicians say?" she asked, glancing at the scrolls of report they had written on about her condition.

Anna picked up the parchment and scanned it quickly. Worry clouded her features immediately. "It's not that bad. There's a high chance that once you make a recovery, you'll-"

"Anna. Please, tell me the truth," Elsa's hoarse voice was like a whisper, almost inaudible. That was just about all the energy she could muster.

Pain came quickly onto Anna's face, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she examined the physician's notes. "It doesn't look good. Your pulse is unstable and you're shivering even when it's not cold. If the physicians can find the source of the sickness, then there'll be a good chance that they can cure you, but they've never seen these symptoms before." She nearly threw the parchment to the ground in despair and frustration. She took Elsa's hand. It was ice-cold. "What are we going to do?"

Elsa shrugged. "Everything will be fine, Anna," she said in the most reassuring voice she could. Anna rested her head on the edge of the bed, staying with her sister. "Anna, do you..."

"Wanna build a snowman?" Anna completed the familiar phrase with a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

The door creaked open and in walked a white figure, the cloud of snow above it following it everywhere. "Did someone call for a snowman?" he asked in a cheerful tone, his presence lifting up the dreary ambience of the room.

"Olaf!" the sisters called in excitement, happy smiles coming onto their faces. It was nice to know that someone was still full of joy in spite of the shocking circumstances. The appearance of the warm snowman was well-needed in the time of panic.

He walked over to the bed and grinned at Elsa. "You didn't think I wouldn't visit the person who created me, did you? I'd never abandon you, Elsa, especially not when you're sick." He offered a smile full of hope and light. "But you'll get better right? People get sick all the time and they get better."

Anna looked at Elsa, but the older sister refused to make any eye contact. Anna sighed. "I don't know, Olaf. This sickness isn't like what anyone else has seen before. The physicians may not be able to heal her."

The cheerful snowman thought about it for a moment, and his smile faltered just a little. "Hey," he piped up, a thought coming to him. "Why don't we call Kristoff's family? The rock people who managed to heal Anna. They could come over and maybe they can help."

Both sisters looked at him with mild incredulity. "That's an amazing idea, Olaf! I can't believe I didn't think of it before," Anna said. The trolls were the ones who had saved both of them, and chances are they were willing to help, but the question was whether they could help at all.

"Not bad for a snowman with no brain, huh?" Olaf laughed, tapping his snow head with his twig-like hands. The trio laughed at this and for a moment, it was as if nothing was wrong, as if Elsa wasn't lying on her bed and possibly dying.

Elsa sighed softly. "What did I ever do to deserve such amazing people who care for me?" she mused with a smile of contentment.

"You don't have to do anything," Anna replied with a reassuring smile. "I'm your sister, Elsa, I'll always stand by you."

"Yeah, and I'm your friend," Olaf added with a bright grin. "I'm with Anna on this - we're staying with you forever."

A sweet and peaceful silence rested on the trio, until another bout of coughs came from Elsa. She fought hard to suppress it, not wanting Anna and Olaf to see how sick she'd gotten. Once the coughs were forced down, Elsa sighed, tired. She shook her head sadly. "If that's the case, I don't think you'll have to stay much longer."

"Don't say things like that!" Anna immediately cried out. Tears pricked at her eyes. "I don't know what I'll do if I lost you. Please, Elsa, keep fighting. Stay strong, at least until we find a way to make you better."

Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but she was too tired to make the effort to voice her words. Instead, she just sighed and remained silent. Her eyelids began to close slowly.

"You're tired," Olaf pointed out. "Do you want us to leave for a moment? So you can rest?" Elsa glanced at him and nodded, not having the energy to say anything. "Rest well, Elsa. Get better soon." The snowman took Anna's hand and motioned towards the door.

Anna looked at Elsa's pale face once more. "Yes, please get well, Elsa. I believe you can do it." The queen smiled sincerely and genuinely, and that was all the thanks the two needed before they left her room.

"I'm worried about her," Anna proclaimed as they turned the corner.

Olaf sighed. "Me too. Did you see the thick blankets? She's the snow queen, she's not supposed to feel cold."

"It's not just that. The way she talked was what worried me the most. It was like she'd given up hope of getting better." She frowned and brushed the moistness away from her eyes. "It was as if she had lost her will to live."

* * *

><p><strong>Yes it's much shorter than previous chapters. Next one will be longer, I promise. <strong>

**And since I mentioned the World Cup in the previous chapter, I feel obliged to say something now. So far, Brazil, Mexico and most recently, the Netherlands have won (5-1 against the defending champions). So who do you think will win? I'm excited for the Germany v Portugal match, as well as England v Uruguay. Updates may be further apart due to me spending lots of time watching the games. **

**Comments and feedback is greatly appreciated. Question for you guys: I'm not sure how many of you watch Once Upon A Time, but the season finale featured Elsa as a character for the next season. My suspicion is that she'll be the villain, but I can't be too sure. Any thoughts on that?**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**I seriously did not expect to take so long to update. I'm sorry for the delay, I had a lot of stuff thrown at me suddenly. At least the chapter's longer than the previous few, which may make up for it, I suppose.**

**Thanks for all your support and patience, hopefully I'll be able to type the next chapter out soon. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter 10<em>

Hans tossed himself onto his left side. 'Elsa, dying? How could it be?' He turned to face the ceiling. 'It's just an illness, she'll get better.' He shut his eyes tightly. 'Please, save her. Let her live.' He suddenly sat up in his bed, a frown etched onto his brows.

The thoughts were familiar to him. He was just a child then. "Let them live, spare their lives. Save them from death," he muttered softly to himself. It had been years since he last spoke those words belonging to a prayer he would say again and again. It had been the only time he felt the pain of loss and of death. It marked the start of his road of loneliness. It was the week of his parents' deaths and it had been...seventeen years ago.

He hopped out of bed immediately. It had to be a coincidence, but he needed to check to make sure. He threw on his coat and opened the door. Stealthily and quickly, he made his way around the castle. There were no guards this time, only silence as his companion.

Down the spiralling staircase he went, until he found himself facing the door to Elsa's study. It had been exactly a day since he faced that door, but the circumstances were entirely different. A day ago he didn't know what he had been looking for. A day ago he wouldn't have thought his parents' deaths had anything to do with Elsa. A day ago Elsa wasn't dying.

Throwing the doors open, he lit a candle and found the parchment at the same place he left it, underneath the pale brown folder. The words were as faded as before, but the crest of the Southern Isles was there, right at the top of the page. He held the parchment closer to the light and squinted. Slowly, he managed to decipher the first word, then the second. But his progress was slow. There was no possible way he could finish deciphering the words before sunrise.

Shaking his head, he decided it was best to give up. There was no use in trying if it would not do any good. He lifted up the folder and was about to return the parchment, when he saw another piece of paper with fresh and clearly readable ink. Curious, he picked it up and held it towards the candle. It was Elsa who wrote it, and upon reading the first few words, he realised that this was what the parchment read. Elsa had deciphered it onto another sheet of parchment, it was only him who was too foolish to have missed it.

Finally finding what he needed, Hans blew out the candle and grabbed the two pieces of parchment before hastily making his way back towards his room. He ascended the spiralling staircase and walked down the corridor when he heard a cough. It was the same cough he had heard the night before. Then, it clicked in his head. The sick occupant in the room was Elsa.

He stopped and hesitated. He wanted to see her, to check on her. He knew the consequences of being caught far outweighed the unexplainable feeling he had, but he couldn't bring himself to continue to his room.

It was a bad idea, he told himself, but he didn't care. He pushed the door open lightly and entered the room. The curtains were pulled open to let the light of the near-full moon enter. Silently, he crept towards the bed.

Elsa was there, her eyelids half-closed. Her breathing was shallow and unsteady and in her hand was a piece of cloth stained with blood. Her skin was paler than he had ever seen before, and her face was sallow and sunken.

Memories came flooding back to Hans. He had seen this before. His parents were on their beds, lying down and fighting to stay alive, just like Elsa. He saw the physician's notes lying on the nearby table and read through it without a moment's hesitation.

The symptoms were the same - uneven heartbeat, coughing blood, paleness of the skin. It seemed that the disease really was the same. But he couldn't be sure and he really hoped that it wasn't. The disease that killed his parents had no cure, and he didn't want Elsa to die in the painful way he had seen his parents die.

He looked at Elsa once again and he stifled a sob. She was his chance at seizing the throne. She couldn't die. She was the only one who believed in him, who trusted him and shared her thoughts with him. She was his friend.

No, she was more than that. She loved him, and if he was truly and sincerely honest with himself, he may just love her too.

_._._._._.

It was early morning by the time Hans was done. He had gone through the parchment in great detail, taking note of the tiny nuances. He had concluded that the parchment was a report written after the death of his parents.

But he also concluded that the disease that sent his parents to their deaths was the same one that Elsa was suffering from. He didn't know what he could do, and he was terrified.

The disease was called the 'sykdom' and as he read the medical report, he realised how deadly it really was. It was a rare disease and, according to the report, his parents were the third and fourth cases ever reported. He wouldn't be surprised if Elsa was the fifth. And the problem with such rare diseases was that there was hardly any cure.

Physicians and researchers only cared about widespread and infectious diseases, so they couldn't care less about these rare diseases which kill only a few in a century. Unless, of course, the disease struck a loved one.

Hans nearly began laughing at his forgetfulness. Perhaps it was the stress from the whole situation, or it was the fact that he had not slept the whole night, but he had completely forgotten about his family. He was not the only one devastated by his parents' deaths. His brothers were affected as well, and he had in mind Helbrede, the fourth in line for the throne. Helbrede had dreamed of being a physician since he was young and he had made a vow to find a cure for the disease which murdered his parents.

As far as Hans knew, once Helbrede passed the basic requirements to become a physician, he was deemed one of the royal healers. He was the best in all the land and he worked on the cure for the disease tirelessly. But when Hans asked about the progress he made, Helbrede just sent him away, saying that his research was no business of a 'puny runt' like him. After a while, Hans just stopped asking.

Helbrede always had a strong dislike for Hans, as did most of his brothers, so the youngest prince knew that when it came to Elsa's sickness, he could not be trusted. But Hamlin could.

Hamlin should already have reached the Southern Isles after visiting Arendelle. If Hans wrote a letter to him, he would pass on the message to Helbrede. But Hans had to be quick about it. If anyone found out that he knew something about Elsa's sickness, they would suspect him of poisoning her. And if they found out that he had been snooping around her study and secretly communicating with his brothers, he would not be so mercifully sent back home. In fact, he was certain he would be executed.

Silently and stealthily, he made his way, once again, to Elsa's study. There was no way of writing without ink and parchment, both of which there were none in his room. The sky was still dark, but he knew he didn't have much time and had to be quick if he didn't want to get caught.

He opened the door and lit a candle before making his way to the desk. He took a piece of parchment and picked up the quill before dipping it in a bottle of ink. Then, he began to write.

_Dearest Hamlin,  
>I am writing to you about an urgent matter which must be kept under highest confidentiality. Elsa is sick. She has contracted the sykdom, the same disease which killed Father and Mother. I am unaware of Helbrede's progress in making a cure for the disease, but if there is any hope of saving the queen's life, you must send him here at once. If, however, there is no hope, then remain silent about the matter until official news spreads to the kingdom.<br>Do not reply to this letter. Helbrede's arrival, or lack thereof, will be answer enough. I cannot stress enough of the importance of not disclosing this information to others. Do not tell Helbrede this letter was from me. Burn this once you read it.  
>With love,<br>Your brother Hans_

Hans quickly folded the letter and sealed it with the royal seal of Arendelle. He gripped it tightly in his hand, hoping that this was the solution. He hoped that Hamlin would receive the letter, he hoped that Helbrede had found the cure, but most of all, he hoped that he wasn't too late.

Holding the precious letter, he went to the main landing of the castle, to a table where royal letters were given out and received. There was a stack of letters ready to be delivered, left there by councilman after minister after advisor. Gently, he slotted his letter in after ensuring everything was in perfect order.

Just in time, because the sun's rays were slowly creeping up the horizon. Hans turned to head up the staircase when hushed voices came from above. Darting quickly and silently, he hid in the stairwell beneath the stairs.

"I'm just saying, I don't think he did it," the first voice said. Hans strained his ears to try figuring out who the voice belonged to. It definitely belonged to a male.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as the people descended the stairs. "How can you defend someome like him after everything he's done?" This voice was very distinct, and Hans knew that it was Anna who was walking down the stairs, most likely with Kristoff.

"It's not like that, Anna. I'm not defending him, I just think he didn't somehow make Elsa sick," Kristoff explained with a small sigh. It was then that Hans realised, they were talking about him, and Kristoff was standing up for him.

"How are you so sure he's innocent? He may be lying to you and manipulating you, just like he did to me, just like he did to Elsa," Anna's voice grew louder.

"Well how can you be so sure he's guilty? No matter what happens to Elsa, there's still no way you can convict someone when you have no proof," Kristoff reasoned with her, hoping she could put her emotions aside for just a moment and see things his way.

A tense silence filled the air and Hans instinctively stopped breathing, lest they could hear him inhale and exhale from his spot under the stairwell. The sound of a large boot hitting the marble floor signified the end of their journey down the stairs.

Finally, the silence was broken by a deep sigh. "Fine," Anna said. "I think we should focus on helping Elsa get better before finding who is to blame for this whole mess. Let's just go and get Pabbie. Right now, he's our only hope." With that, the two headed out the castle doors, their faces grim and full of despair.

Once Hans was sure they had gone, he stepped out of his hiding spot and hastily made his way to his room, his mind whirling with throughts. Pabbie...he had heard the name before. Elsa had mentioned the name.

She had told him the story of how she had accidentally frozen Anna as a child. The late king and queen brought them to the Valley of the Living Rock, where the king of the trolls had healed Anna. He was wise beyond ages and it was told that he wielded magic. Perhaps he would be able to save Elsa, after all. If his magic could restore Elsa to full health, it would be a miracle, especially if Helbrede hadn't found the cure for the sykdom throughout the years.

Hans found his room and opened the door, entering it silently. He shut the door behind him. It had been such a crazy night that no words could possibly describe what he was feeling. He dragged himself to his head, utterly exhausted.

Sunlight streamed in through the curtains and Hans hoped, more than anything else, that somehow by the time he woke up, Elsa would be healed and about. He imagined waking up to her sitting by his bed, smiling and telling him that everything was going to be fine.

He fell asleep before his head hit the pillow.

_._._._._.

Kristoff heaved a deep breath as he carried Pabbie onto the large chair by Elsa's bed. Being a troll, Pabbie, though small, weighed a tonne. Kristoff was the only one who could carry him from the valley to the carriage, then the carriage to Elsa's room.

It had been a challenge to convince Pabbie to leave the valley at first. Being king of the trolls, he had a responsibility to protect the trolls and was reluctant to leave. But when Anna downright begged him to see Elsa because she was dying, he finally relented.

"Queen Elsa," Pabbie greeted as he lay a hand on her forehead. It was ice-cold, despite the thin sheen of sweat on her body.

Elsa was in a delirious state, her eyelids closing and opening tiredly and her eyes looking but not seeing. Finally, her vision focused on the troll in front of her. She merely groaned in response, as a greeting.

"Is she always like this?" the troll turned, looking at Kristoff and Anna.

The younger sister shook her head. "Sometimes she can speak, but other times she is oblivious to the world even though she's awake and seeing everything. I don't think she's aware of half the things that are going on around her."

Pabbie gave her a grim look. "That much is certain, Princess Anna." The troll king returned to examining Elsa's limp and pale figure. She was shivering and burning up at the same time. The light in her once clear blue eyes were gone, and there were purple spots appearing on the base of her neck. "It is just as I feared..." He turned back to the couple. "This sickness is a very rare one, having only been a few known cases in the past few decades. It's not contagious, but it's deadly. So far, no one has survived. I'm sorry."

"But Grand-Pabbie," Kristoff spoke up, worry plain on his face. "You have magic, don't you? Can't you heal her?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my dear boy. There have been no known cures, and my magic cannot save her." Behind him, Elsa made a soft moan. Pabbie gave her an intense look, as if searching for something in her features. "Is there something you want to say, your highness?"

All eyes turned to the sick person lying down on her bed. Elsa's unseeing gaze landed on the people surrounding her. "Royal document in my study... The disease in... The Southern Isles..." Those were all she could say at that point in time as the disease overtook her entire body and sapped all her energy.

A look of understanding came over Pabbie's face. "There are only a known few who have contracted this illness and it has struck in the Southern Isles, though I'm not certain about the details. If the queen knows something that I don't which could save her, it'll be in that document." The troll turned to the duo with expectant eyes.

Kristoff stepped forward. "We'll get it, Grand-Pabbie." And with that, him and Anna hastened out of the room.

"I'll get the document. You go to Hans' room and try to see if he knows anything about it," Anna told him.

The mountain-man sighed. "Anna, I already told you, I don't think he-"

"I don't care if he did it or not. The thing is, the last known case was in the Southern Isles, which is where Hans was from. If anyone has any first-hand knowledge, it'll be him."

He nodded, a grim look on his face. Anna turned to go to Elsa's study, but Kristoff grabbed her hand. "Anna, I know you're worried, but trust me, everything's going to be alright, okay?"

The princess's worried frown only deepened. "I know," she sighed. "But what if-"

"There aren't going to be any 'what-ifs'. We're going to fix this, Elsa is going to get better, and everything will be fine." He gently lay his hand on her cheek and gazed into her worried eyes. "Okay?"

She smiled at his words, a thin and weak smile with just the tiniest bit of hope. "Thank you." She leaned in and gently kissed him on the cheek. She let go of his hands, then she left.

_._._._._.

"Alright, Hans, here's the deal," Kristoff announced as he opened the door to the room and walked in boldly. He stopped dead in his tracks. "Ugh, you're kidding me." Right in front of him was Hans, lying flat on his bed, asleep.

He gazed out of the window at the bright morning sun, high up in the sky. Kristoff stared at Hans, hoping that he could somehow wake the other up by looking intensely at him. Needless to say, his efforts were futile.

His footsteps sounded as he shuffled across the carpeted room to Hans' bed. He loomed over the prince, but there was no reaction from the sleeping man. Kristoff turned to go and tell Anna that there wasn't anything he could ask while he was asleep, when sone thing caught his eye.

There, lying on the table by his bed, was an important-looking documents. Kristoff wasn't a prince, but he would know a royal crest when he looked at one, and he was staring straight at the crest of the Southern Isles, printed right at the top of the page. His eyes travelled down the page to read it's contents, but the parchment was old and the words too faded to read.

Kristoff glanced down at the table again to see another sheet of paper, much newer than the first and with legible words. He skimmed through the contents of this sheet of paper and he frowned. He couldn't be absolutely certain, but he thought it was exactly what they were looking for, the document Elsa was referring to.

Without a moment's hesitation, he gripped the two pieces of paper tightly and ran out of the room. "Anna!" he called, running through the corridor, down the stairs and to Elsa's study.

The princess was in her sister's study, going through papers, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. "Kristoff, I can't find it. I searched everywhere, on the table, through the files and it's as if the document isn't here at all. I just-"

"I know." Anna looked up, surprise and confusion at his words. "I have it here, at least I think it is." He held out the documents for her to read. "I found it in Hans' room."

Anna's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What were such important documents doing in his room?"

Kristoff shrugged, a small frown on his face. "More importantly, what was he doing with them?"


	11. Chapter 11

**So here's a surprise update! In honour of Germany winning the World Cup! I'm a huge Germany fan, so I turned my happiness into determination and here's how it ended - a new chapter! **

**I hope you all liked the previous chapter. It took a really long time to write so it's a little more structured, yet it's also very sketchy on details. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, they really made my day and inspired me to write this chapter very quickly so I could get it up. I hope you enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter<em> 11

"What do you mean, all this is futile? You're just going to let her die?" Anna's harsh voice demanded as she lashed out at Pabbie. Kristoff stood by her and gently laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. She didn't mean to snap at the troll king, but knowing that there was nothing that could save Elsa crushed her.

The troll sighed deeply. "I wish I could heal her, but as this report says, there is no magic strong enough or research advanced enough to cure such a disease. I may be able to make her a little more comfortable, but I cannot prevent death. I am sorry."

Kristoff nodded slightly. "Do what you can, Grand-Pabbie. And thank you." The troll king nodded and put two firm hands on Elsa's head. Magic began to flow from inside him to his hands, which glowed a warm yellow.

Anna took one look at her dying sister and immediately broke down. Her knees buckled beneath her and she buried her face in her hands. Hot tears began flowing down her face as she wept for Elsa. "There is no hope, then. Elsa is as good as dead," she lamented in between sobs.

As she said this, Elsa opened her eyes. Pabbie had finished his spell. "Anna," she called. The younger sister looked up at the mention of her name. Pabbie took that as his cue to leave and Kristoff led him away. They both knew how devastating this news was, especially to Anna.

Elsa smiled weakly as Anna scrambled to reach her sister's side. "Elsa...Elsa, please don't die." A fresh stream of tears flowed down from her face and they dripped onto the white sheets.

"That's not my decision to make."

"You can't leave me, Elsa!"

"I can't control when I leave this life. None of us can. I just want to be able to say goodbye."

"You're not going to say goodbye. Elsa, tell me you're not going to die."

Elsa sighed. "I don't want to lie to you."

"But what about our kingdom? Our people? You're going to leave them as well?"

"Anna, You will be a great queen."

"I don't want to be queen! I just want you to live."

She shook her head slowly. "We can't always get what we want."

Anna sighed. "Maybe there's hope. Maybe tomorrow you'll wake up like nothing ever happened. Maybe everything will be alright once again."

"Miracles are too few to ever hope for." Elsa looked away. She knew she had to stay strong even though Anna's pain-stricken face was almost too much to bear. Concealing her feelings, just like she had from the very beginning. She couldn't be free from that even on her deathbed.

Anna looked down, defeated. Tears filled her eyes. How can Elsa remain so calm at such a time? Had her ice powers frozen her ability to feel as well? Elsa was shutting everyone out, creating a barrier of ice around her heart. She had locked herself in once again, so that the pain of feeling would be numbed. But was this act of self-protection really worth seeing her sister in such pain?

No, she decided. It wasn't.

"Anna."

"I'm here, Elsa," she responded, taking her sister's hand in hers.

Elsa's eyes began to water a little. "I don't know what to do, Anna, I'm…" she paused, coughed, and took in a breath. "I'm scared."

"You don't have to be afraid. I'll always be with you."

Elsa shook her head. "No, not always." Not in death, she meant, and Anna understood.

Anna didn't know what to say. She didn't know what could comfort her sister and she didn't dare to open her mouth for fear of saying something foolish. Sometimes she did that, but not now.

The younger sister remained silent, and it was Elsa who spoke again. "You're the best sister I could ever have wished for."

It was too much for Anna. She threw her arms around Elsa's shoulders and wept. Her tears stained the pillow Elsa was lying on, but neither of them cared. Weakly, Elsa laid a comforting hand on her back.

Elsa's eyes began to water and a teardrop slid down her cheek. She remembered the time she thought she had lost Anna, when she was frozen as ice. She had hugged her just as tightly, holding on as firmly as she could without breaking her sister into a million pieces.

And now, as she grew closer to death, she realised she already had broken her sister into a million pieces, starting from the day she locked her out.

Another teardrop was shed. It was too late to make any amends now.

_._._._._.

It was close to dusk when Anna emerged from Elsa's room. She had been there when the physicians came to check on her, when Olaf came to visit her, and when Elsa had fallen asleep.

Anna's grief had turned to anger as she marched down the hallways, Kristoff behind her and walking with her. With great intensity, she barged through the door. "You!" she pointed an accusing finger at Hans.

The prince turned to look at the two. Yes, he knew they were coming. He had been too foolish, too careless. He had left the parchments in his room and when he awoke to find them missing, he knew someone had found it and had taken it. He knew this was going to happen.

Kristoff threw the parchments on the table in his room. "We found these here. These do not belong to you. Explain yourself, now." He took Anna's hand, since she looked mad enough to explode in a moment.

Hans glanced at the pieces of paper in front of him. He knew they were going to ask him about that. He was prepared for it. "Elsa was the one who told me about them. She asked me to take them from her study. I did no wrong by- ah!"

He reeled back and clutched his cheek as Anna stood before him, her hand stinging from the hard slap she had delivered to his face. "You liar!"

Guilt tugged at Hans, though he was careful not to show it. How much pain did she have to go through because of him just so he can be satisfied? He nearly confessed about the parchments, right there and then, but he knew he couldn't. He had gone too far to go back. "I know it is hard to take, your highness, but I swear I'm telling the truth." He took a breath and began to tell the story he had made up.

"The last time I saw Elsa, she was asking about the death of my parents. The incident was many years ago, and I don't remember it that well, to be honest. That's what I told her. She said it didn't matter. She said that there was a document on their deaths in her study, and she wanted me to read it. She had to go for a meeting, and she gave me directions to her study. She told me to take it and to read it. So one day I went into her study and I took the document. It was hard to read but I found the other one with her handwriting. I brought it back here to read the parchments. She didn't say why she wanted me to help get them to, but I suppose now I can guess."

Anna and Kristoff glanced at each other. It sounded true enough to them, and it was a logical explanation. But could they trust anything that came out of his mouth? "Is this true?" Kristoff asked, a serious look on his face.

Hans pulled his lips into a tight line. "Every word." Anna was right, he thought, I really am a liar.

Silence descended for a moment, before Anna looked up. "You know, then, that Elsa's chances of living are very slim?"

There was hope in his brother, Hans knew, but he also knew that it may not be so. He didn't want them expecting something which may never come. "I was hoping that perhaps the physicians could do more with Elsa than they could with my parents, but that doesn't seem to be the case," he sighed.

"Do you know what could have caused this? You've seen this before, so maybe there is something common, something connecting these diseases."

He shook his head. "I'm no physician. I wouldn't know what to begin looking for. I'm sorry."

Anna and Kristoff nodded. They turned to go. "Wait, one more thing," Hans stopped them. "May I see her? Please? Just...let me say goodbye."

The two looked at each other. Anna didn't want him anywhere near Elsa, but she wasn't so cruel as to not let him say his parting words. He may never see Elsa again. And he loved Elsa, just as Elsa loved him. "I'll talk to her," she said, finally.

"Thank you." There was relief in his voice.

She nodded in reply. "Goodbye, Hans." They left him alone in the room once again.

Hans sat on his bed, trying to regain order in his whirling mind. So it really was true. Elsa was dying. He didn't wanted to show how affected he was by the news, but now that they were gone, he buried his face in his hands.

He had to think logically to prevent his emotions from taking over. He had sent the letter to Hamlin about five days ago, and, depending on the wind, the fastest boat could take seven to ten days. That meant that if Helbrede didn't arrive in the next few days, then there really was no hope.

What hope was there at all? Despair clouded his thoughts. He wanted to think about how his plan was ruined, about how his future was gone, but all he could think about was Elsa, lying on her bed, dying.

When had emotions begun to affect him? How had he stopped caring about himself and started caring about himself? At that point in time, he would give up all his plans and all his power, he would leave Arendelle and never return.

If only Elsa would live.

_._._._._.

The room was silent and Hans lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Being cooped inside a room, prisoner to the kingdom, he had to find something to keep himself occupied. This was his way. His body was practically unmoving, but his mind was whirling.

He wondered if that was how prisoners felt when they were in their cell – bitter and regretful. He knew it was cynical to compare himself to those who were sitting in the dungeon, though. He was more a guest of the castle, just trapped inside a room.

Not only that, but he had hope. He could leave, and he would leave. It would just take some time for his plan to work out perfectly. There were a few hiccups on the way, but he could do it. He was good at it. He was better than good, he was brilliant.

A sound came from the door and Hans sat up immediately. It was Kristoff who entered, a frown plastered on his face. He walked over to Hans and towered over him. "No more lies, Hans. I want answers, and I want them now."

Hans offered a shrug and a small smile. "I'm afraid I have no clue what you're talking about. You're going to have to be more specific."

"Enough of that! Elsa did not tell you to get those documents! You were lying about that and I'm pretty sure you've been lying about a whole lot of other things as well."

"Elsa told you this?"

"Yes, she did, which is how I'm so sure that you're lying!"

Hans sighed tiredly and ran his hand over his forehead. "I was afraid of this," he admitted softly. He sounded so weary.

"That you would get caught?" Kristoff laughed bitterly.

He shook his head. "No, that's not what I'm worried about because that's not true." He took in a breath. "When my parents fell ill, they showed signs of mental degradation, namely, forgetting things which they had done previously. I fear this has happened to Elsa as well."

Kristoff arched an eyebrow and folded his arms. "You expect me to believe that? Because it seems like every time I confront you about something, you always come up with something new. This is the last straw. I want the truth, Hans."

"I _am_ telling you the truth."

"No you're not."

The two men stood facing each other, both adamant about their stands. It was a test of faith, and a test of will.

Finally, Hans broke and he looked down. "Fine." He couldn't take it anymore. He had always been a master of deceit, but that was because he could push all emotions away and focus on the task at hand. But now, knowing that Elsa – the woman who chose to forgive him and to love him – was dying, he buckled. "I'll tell you everything. But it's a long story."

"I don't care, I just want the truth."

Hans nodded. He paused for a moment, then, he began. "As you know, I have thirteen brothers. Each of us have different interests and jobs, and one of these brothers is a physician. After my parents died, he dreamed of finding the cure for their sickness."

"Was he successful?" Kristoff interrupted, having an idea of what his words were leading to.

"I don't know," Hans shrugged. "He always hated me and refused to tell me anything. I wrote to Hamlin, my other brother, instructing him to send him over if he had been successful. That was why I needed those documents, to confirm that it really was the same disease that killed my parents."

"But he's coming? He's able to save Elsa?"

"I don't know that either. I told Hamlin not to reply, so that it will remain confidential. My brother Helbrede may be on his way, but it's been almost a week and he hasn't arrived yet. I fear that it's hopeless, that he doesn't have a cure and all this waiting is for nothing."

Kristoff paused, letting the information sink in. A hope for saving Elsa? That had been abandoned the moment Pabbie left. "Why didn't you say anything? This is good news!"

Hans shook his head. "Only if he actually comes. What if I got the whole palace excited, hopeful, waiting for him. But in the end he doesn't arrive and Elsa doesn't make it? Can you imagine the pain? It would be worse than not having any hope at all. Don't tell anyone about this, Kristoff, please. Not even Anna."

"Anna has a right to know!"

"Yes, but she will be the one who will take it the hardest if you give her hope and it crashes down on her. You know Anna, you give her just a bit of hope and she'll make it a big deal."

"Because you know her so well." His voice was soft but powerful. Hans hung his head. How many times did he have to apologise until people would overlook what he had done? Never, probably. Or maybe when his apologies were actually sincere.

"What more do you want from me? I've already said I'm sorry, I've already surrendered. I'm here and I'm in this room doing what I'm told, aren't I?"

"Consider yourself lucky, Hans. If it weren't for Elsa, you'll probably be in prison."

Hans sighed. "I know."

"Why did you even come back? You could have stayed at home, you could have gone to any other land, why come here?"

"I couldn't stay at the Southern Isles…I was exiled. I had to leave, and I thought I'd go to the place where it all began, to try to seek forgiveness." He shrugged. "Besides, where else could I go?"

Kristoff nodded grimly, his lips pulled into a tight line. Over the weeks which turned to months, Kristoff got to know Hans – the broken and exiled prince – different from the Hans he used to know – the evil and malicious traitor. "I should go."

"You're not going to tell anybody, are you? About my letter."

The mountain-man paused and thought for a moment. "I won't tell a soul, you can trust me on that."

Hans allowed a ghost of a smile to flicker across his face. "Thank you, Kristoff. Really."

Maybe he wasn't all that alone, after all.

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><p><strong>This chapter is dedicated to the Germany National Team. Without them winning, this chapter would probably have been up in a few more weeks' time. Congratulations to them! They really deserve it, in my opinion. Drop a review to tell me what you think about the chapter, and if you want to talk about football, just leave me a PM. Thank you for reading!<strong>

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm so sorry this is so late! I honestly didn't know how long it's been since my last update but I know it's far longer than you wonderful readers deserve. Thank you for sticking with me this long and continuing to support me with your wonderful reviews which I greatly appreciate. I won't give reasons and excuses because those won't change the fact that it's been too long since I updated. So without further ado, here's the next chapter!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter<em> 12

Hans sat in his room and waited. For the first time since he met Elsa, he doubted himself. Was it the right decision to tell Kristoff the truth? He should have insisted that he was right about the memory loss. He didn't know if he could trust Kristoff. His plan was shaky and uncertain. For all he knew, it may just fall apart and he would be thrown into prison with no hope.

The door opened and Hans looked up. He expected to see Kristoff. Instead, Anna had come to see him. "Is it true? What Kristoff told me?" Hans' heart clenched. She knew. She knew all about his manipulation and cover-up stories. He had told her. "Elsa really does have memory loss?"

Kristoff had told her lies. "Yes, I'm afraid so." And he was telling her more lies.

Anna sighed dejectedly and guilt cut through Hans. How hard was it for Kristoff to lie to the girl he loved? He could only imagine. "Elsa wants to see you," Anna announced. Without a word more, she turned and walked out, expecting him to follow.

He had to run to catch up with her, his heart suddenly beating much faster than before. He couldn't believe it. "You told her that I wanted to see her? What did she say? Did she just say yes or did she want to see me too?" Hans couldn't help but bombard Anna with questions.

She turned and glanced at him. "She's actually wanted to see you for some time, but I didn't think it was a good idea."

Hans fought to keep his composure. She had wanted to see him, and he had wanted to see her. But he couldn't, because it was a bad idea to them. What right did they have to tear them apart? He remained silent for a moment, half-running to keep up with Anna's quick pace. Was she always so fast? "What made you change your mind?" he finally asked.

Anna came to a halt and she spun around to face him. "We trust you now. At least, enough to let you see her." Hans nodded grimly. It was all about trust. Anna looked towards the door. "She's inside, waiting for you."

"You're not coming?" He sounded surprised. They really did trust him if they let him go see her alone. But he wasn't complaining.

She shook her head. "I have somewhere I need to be," she sighed, and Hans guessed that wherever she needed to go, she didn't really want to be there. She turned to go.

"Anna." The princess turned back to face him. "Thank you." Anna just shrugged and smiled, as if she didn't know how to react. Then, a moment later, she walked away hurriedly. Hans supposed that while Anna did trust him enough to see Elsa, things would never be okay to between them. He wasn't surprised.

He smiled. This was it. He was finally going to see Elsa. Memories of the last time they had spoken flashed back. They had fought. He had accused her of not loving him enough, just so he could steal the crown. That had been a while ago? Days? Two weeks, at least. It felt longer than that. He just hoped she had forgiven him.

Now he just wanted to see her, to talk to her and pretend she wasn't lying on her bed, dying. He knocked, then entered.

Elsa looked even paler than he imagined. Her figure was thin and bony. A piece of blood-stained cloth was in her hands, and drops of dried blood dotted the side of her mouth. He practically ran to her and knelt down at her side.

Tears pricked at his eyes. "Elsa," he said. His voice was soft, broken. He didn't know if he should be happy that he finally got to see her, or devastated at the state she was in. He gripped her ice-cold hand.

"Hans, you're really here. I've missed you so much." She sounded like she was in disbelief, like she never imagined this day would come. "You're still in the castle?"

"I barely ever left my room. The only people who know I'm here are you, Anna, Kristoff and a few servants. I've been staying here for at least a month and it's like I don't even exist anymore."

"Why didn't you leave?"

Hans brought her hand to his lips. "I could never leave you." The words came out of his mouth before he could even process it. Did he really mean it? Did he really love her? Perhaps this fatal disease was a way of opening his eyes to the fact that he had fallen in love with Elsa a long time ago. Or perhaps it was clouding his vision and putting thoughts in his head.

"Yet I am the one who is leaving you," Elsa said with a bitter smile.

"Don't say that." Hans brought a hand up to her cheek, which were burning hot to the touch. "You didn't choose this. You didn't choose to get this horrible disease and…" He couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Die." Elsa finished it for him. "Yet I'm dying anyway. And I'm trying to remain calm, to face death with an easy heart. I want to be ready, but I'm not." She sighed and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm so afraid."

He didn't know what he could say to help her and he hated it. He wanted to tell her that he'd be with her the whole way, but that would be a lie, so he decided to remain silent.

"I love you, Hans." Elsa was the one who broke the tense silence.

"I love you, too." He said it quickly, too quickly, as if he had said it because it was the natural thing to say, as if he wanted to continue deceiving her, or not to disappoint her.

Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but ended up coughing. She brought the white cloth in her hand to her lips and it absorbed the blood which came out. Hans watched, a pained look on his face.

She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve all that pain. He deserved it, though. He wished he could have gotten the disease instead of her. No one would miss him, no one would care. Life would go on. But this was Elsa. The kingdom would miss her, her sister would grieve. She was a queen, and he was a traitor. If there was anyone who deserved it, it was Hans.

"Hans." Elsa rasped, her voice hoarse. "Stay here with me, please."

Hans gave her the best smile he could muster, and it looked weak and pained. "Of course, Elsa."

Elsa hummed softly and slowly shut her eyes. She was tired, she needed rest. When Hans looked at her, she had fallen asleep, her breathing shallow and light. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically as she took small breaths in and out.

Hans reached down and kissed her forehead lightly. "I'd stay with you forever if I could."

_._._._._.

Anna knocked on the door, then entered the room. There, waiting for her, was a whole panel of ministers around the large meeting table. "Sorry I'm late. I had some business to take care of." She was breathing a little heavily from running around the castle.

"Before we begin, your highness, we'd all like to offer our condolences. The news of your sister is truly heartbreaking and tragic," a councilman said with a respectful bow of his head. Anna shrugged and gave him a weak smile as she sat across the table. "Now then, shall we begin?"

The princess nodded and looked at the councilmen. It was her first time being at an actual meeting. She had attended a few with Elsa, but Elsa had done all the talking while she just sat there and stared into space. She never actually paid attention during these sorts of meetings, and now she was expected to sit in front of a whole council and answer to them.

"I believe we should start with the most pressing matter, which is the topic of marriage. Princess Anna, as you know, Queen Elsa is currently in the midst of looking for a husband. I'm afraid with Elsa's current situation, the responsibilities lie on your shoulders. We have mentioned this before, three meetings ago. I believe you were present, Princess Anna."

Anna paled a little. She fell asleep during that meeting, but she did her best to act like she knew what was going on. "I'm aware of the guidelines that a queen or a princess must marry before she reaches twenty-five, and I intend to wait things out with Kristoff before I do get married. After all, I do have four more years."

One of the ministers couldn't help but voice his opinion. "Are you really considering marrying Kristoff? Forgive me, your highness, but Kristoff is hardly material to be king."

"Kristoff is the royal ice harvester, and he has been living in the castle for over a year now. And I don't want to marry anyone else! I love Kristoff!" Anna cried out, hoping they would see where she was coming from. She wasn't going to abandon true love and marry a stranger just because he wasn't 'king material'. On top of that, she knew for a fact that she could marry out of royalty, because that was exactly what her parents had done. Her mother wasn't a princess, but her father was a prince. If he could marry a simple seamstress, she could marry the royal ice harvester.

The minister immediately bowed his head. "Forgive me, your highness, I meant no offense. I just thought that I would offer some advice. With all due respect, Princess Anna, are you certain Kristoff would want to be king? Would he willingly sit through meetings and attend coronations and weddings from different lands? He has lived in the castle, but has he been exposed to the duties a king would have to do?"

Anna looked down and bit her lower lip. He was right. Kristoff would hate being a king. She thought back on her duties as a princess. Kristoff had been there to support her, but she never dreamed that one day he'd have to do such duties as well. He would hate them. He would hate being king. He was kind and compassionate, but there was so much more to being king. Dressing up, socializing. She couldn't imagine him enjoying doing such activities.

"I've upset you, your highness. Please, take your time to consider this. There is still plenty of time for you to make your choice. Let's move on to other matters for now. Currently, there's the issue of the news of your sister. You haven't told the people yet, correct?"

Princess Anna nodded. "We want to keep it low-key for now, and so I have instructed no one to talk about it. I was thinking of only telling the people of the kingdom and the rulers of other kingdoms if Elsa truly can't get better, and if she…passes on."

Another minister spoke up. "That is a wise idea, Princess Anna, however, you must also realise that the people are part of the kingdom and part of your lives. While I do think your approach is very sound, do keep in mind that the people might be upset that you excluded them from this information, causing a gap between the rulers and the people."

A small frown rested on Anna's face. She didn't think of that when she made the decision. She should have thought of that. It was something that should have been obvious. What was she thinking? Of course every decision would have a consequence. How could she ever follow in her sister's footsteps if she was so foolish? "I…I just-"

"Princess Anna!" a servant knocked on the door and entered the meeting room. All eyes landed on him. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but there has been a sudden arrival of a royal ship in Arendelle. He introduces himself as Prince Helbrede, from the Southern Isles."

Anna's eyes widened. Another one from there? First it was Hans, then Hamlin, and now Helbrede? Did their family not know when to leave them alone? Making a split-second decision, she turned to the group of ministers. "Councilmen, I'm afraid we'll have to postpone this meeting. I have to see to this guest."

She stood from her seat and without another word, hurried out of the room. She had to find Hans. It was his doing, she was sure of it. She ran up the spiraling staircase, running down corridors. Then, she entered Elsa's room.

Hans was there, sitting down on the floor at the side of the bed. His head lay on the edge of Elsa's bed and his hand was holding hers. Elsa was asleep, but Hans still stayed, watching over her and taking care of her.

Anna stopped where she was. Hans didn't look like he heard her enter, and she didn't want to disturb the peace and quiet of the whole room. But she had to. "Hans," she called out softly. He turned his head and looked at her, giving her a small smile. His eyes looked a little weary, and Anna wasn't sure if he had been crying, or if he was just tired. "I need to talk to you."

He slipped his hand gently from Elsa's, and he slowly got up. He followed Anna out of the room, and closed the door behind him. "Is something wrong? What happened?" he asked softly as he stood outside the door of the room.

"Your brother is here."

His face paled slightly. "My brother? Do you know which one?"

"I think he said his name was Helbrede."

Hans nodded his head, his stoic expression hiding the excitement and hope which burned in his soul. Helbrede was here. Elsa just may have a chance to survive. He breathed in slowly. "Yes, so he's here."

"Why has he come? I know nothing about this. Did you ask him to come?"

He shook his head. "No, I had nothing to do with this." The lie came easily, flowing through and being voiced as confidently as if it were the truth. He couldn't let Anna know about his plan. Not just yet. He had to make sure Elsa could really be saved. "But I think I know how it happened. I have a feeling that Elsa may have written to him to seek his help. You see, Anna, Helbrede is a physician."

Hope gleamed in Anna's clear eyes. "Are you saying that he can save Elsa?"

Hans shrugged, and looked at Anna squarely. "I'm saying this is Elsa's best hope right now."

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><p><strong>Please do leave a review and thank you all so much for reading!<strong>

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Once again, I'm so sorry for the late update. I don't even know how long it's been since my last update but I want to thank you all for being so faithful and continuing to read this even though it's hard to deal with a very slow writer. Don't worry, I won't abandon this story, but updates will be few and far between. Meanwhile, enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><span><em>Chapter 13<em>

Anna nervously twirled her finger around a loose piece of thread which had untangled itself from the torso of her dress. She was walking much slower than she usually did, mainly because Prince Helbrede was beside her, and he was walking at a painfully slow pace. "I trust the accommodation has been well enough?"

It had been quite a rush for the servants to prepare so many rooms at once for the prince and his team of physicians, but the servants in the castle were the best in the whole kingdom. "Yes, your highness, everything has been going smoothly so far. However, I heard that you were not expecting our arrival. I hope that we have not been an inconvenience?"

"No, of course not. It was just a minor communication error, nothing to be concerned about." It was her first time doing something official, as the ruler of the kingdom. Usually she merely lent assistance, but this time she was on her own. She was sure Kristoff would have helped if he could, but he didn't know how to do anything. He never did, and he never liked things to do with royal duties. Maybe the councilmen were right. Kristoff wasn't meant for royalty.

Helbrede nodded at her words. "So are we on our way to see Queen Elsa? It would be best for me to examine the sykdom as soon as possible."

The princess glanced away from Helbrede anxiously. "Yes, of course. But there's someone you have to meet first, if you don't mind."

He frowned slightly, almost unnoticeably. He wasn't expecting to meet anyone he knew. Perhaps it was an old friend of the past. He couldn't really guess. "Of course. Please, lead the way."

Anna smiled weakly and walked on. She questioned this idea. As soon as Helbrede arrived, she and Hans had talked about it a great deal. They discussed it for a long time, and in the end they decided that Helbrede should meet Hans. Hans had been away from home for about half a year, with no contact with anyone from home, except for Hamlin. It was only fair to reunite the brothers.

The pair soon reached Hans' room and Anna knocked on the door before opening it and entering. The room was dim, though not dark. Anna could see him sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, his fingers gripping the armrests in nervousness.

Hans didn't know if it was a good idea either. Meeting Hamlin when he arrived had brought about good consequences, namely that the brothers had gotten closer despite the physical distance between them.

But Helbrede wasn't Hamlin. Helbrede hated Hans as a child, constantly picking on him and putting him down. Helbrede framed Hans for the bad things that he did, he pretended like Hans didn't even exist, and he made Hans feel like he was nothing. Hans was afraid it would happen all over again. Perhaps it was a bad idea. Perhaps he should just hide and pretend he wasn't in the room. But when Anna opened the door, he knew it was too late for that.

"Helbrede...it's been a while." Hans had been running through what to say in his mind, and decided that this sounded good enough. He had a small, almost relieved smile on his face. "It's good to see you, brother."

Helbrede's cool blue eyes landed on Hans and he tilted his head up, regarding his younger brother with a condescending look. "You're not my brother." There was a stunned silence in the room, as if time had stopped still for a split-second. "We may have grown up together, and we may share the same blood, but you are no brother of mine."

Hans opened his mouth but no words came out. What was he to say? He was absolutely and utterly humiliated. And by his own brother. Emotions ran through him and he felt tears of hurt, shame and betrayal welling up in his eyes.

But he wouldn't let Helbrede get the pleasure of seeing him cry. So he bit his bottom lip and tilted his head a little higher, like the prince he once was. Still, he refused to say anything, lest his words showed the emotions he was trying so hard to hide.

"If I may," Anna spoke up suddenly. She had been watching at the side and decided to make her presence known. Amidst the tension between the brothers, she had been forgotten, but she had been always there, listening and watching. "I think that I should take Helbrede to see Elsa. That would be the best course of action at the moment."

The brothers looked at each other and a silent and rare agreement was formed. Helbrede turned his back and walked swiftly out of the room, as if he couldn't bear to stay another minute in the same room as Hans.

Anna followed him out, but not before giving a small smile to Hans. Was it out of embarrassment? No, Hans realised. It was out of pity. Anna, the person who found it hardest to forgive him, was sorry for him. At least he had convinced her that he had changed. He couldn't do the same for Helbrede, though.

Hans felt his knees buckle under the weight on his shoulders and the bed caught him before he fell to the floor. He dropped his head in his hands. His breathing was as heavy as his heart. His eyes began to water. His brother hated him. His brother wouldn't even acknowledge him as related.

He was hurt, to say the least. He felt like an icicle had pierced his heart. He and Helbrede may not be the closest, and they had more than a few fights, but this was different. This was disowning a brother. This was Helbrede saying that he only had twelve brothers instead of thirteen, that the young runt of a brother he had was no longer part of his family.

A tear ran down Hans' cheek. He couldn't believe he had actually lost a brother.

_._._._._.

"Yes, this is definitely it. The symptoms are exactly the same." Helbrede glanced through the medical reports with a frown. It was so similar to what his parents had gone through and it brought back memories.

Anna stood next to him, with a team of physicians from both Arendelle and the Southern Isles behind them. "Can you cure her?" her voice was painfully hopeful and Helbrede wanted to say something to reassure her even if he couldn't save the Queen.

"We'll do our best. We have what seems to be the cure, but we haven't had any cases of it thus far so we are unsure of its effectiveness." He turned to his team. "Get me 20ml of her blood for analysis. You don't mind, do you, Princess Anna?"

"Anything to save Elsa." Since the Queen was so sick that she was sometimes delirious, Anna was in charge of giving the permissions when Elsa entered this state of mind. At that moment, Elsa had her eyes half-open, her gaze on the ceiling unseeing. Her lips opened and closed to speak words which were never uttered.

Helbrede sighed. "It's a miracle that she has survived this long, your highness. Queen Elsa is holding on very strongly." He knew it was mainly due to the magic of her fabled ice powers, but he also knew that he had to keep Anna in good spirits.

"I just hope that she can hold on long enough." The younger sister looked down. How it killed her so see her sister in such pain, and what she wouldn't do to keep her alive.

Helbrede held the vial of Elsa's blood in his hand. "My equipment is in my room, your highness. I'll take my leave now."

Anna nodded and looked at the guard by the door. "Thank you for doing this, Prince Helbrede. I truly appreciate it." She paused and Helbrede nodded in reply. "The guard will take you all to your room."

He bowed, she curtsied, and a few moments later she was in the room alone, kneeling next to Elsa. Anna took her hand in hers and laid her head on the bed next to her.

She could hardly believe it. There was actually hope that Elsa could get better. "You're going to live, Elsa. Prince Helbrede is here and you'll be with us soon." She knew her sister couldn't hear her in the state she was in, but she didn't care. She had forgotten what it was like to hope. And even if was just a small chance that Elsa would get better, she'd take it in a heartbeat.

The door to the room opened and Anna's head snapped up. It was Kristoff. She didn't want to let go of Elsa's hand, so she stayed there. Kristoff went to her and sat next to her, a warm and comforting arm around her. "How did it go?"

Anna smiled into his embrace. "There's hope. And that's more than I could ask for. Prince Helbrede is doing tests on Elsa's blood now." She ran her finger over the bandage where the needle was inserted to take the blood. She sighed and leaned her head against Kristoff's broad chest. "I'm so glad that Elsa wrote to him."

"Me too," Kristoff said, a little too quickly. He tried to keep his muscles as relaxed as possible so as to not stiffen up. He was never a good liar, and guilt ran through him as he lied to his girlfriend. He swiftly changed the subject. "How was the council meeting?"

She took a deep breath and paused for a moment. "It was...good. It went well." Her voice sounded weak, on the verge of cracking, and she looked away.

Kristoff wasn't quite so easily fooled. He gripped her hand tightly and looked at her intently. He knew those signs well. She had acted like that when Hans had arrived and when Elsa had fallen ill. She had tried to hide the fact that things weren't going well so she wouldn't worry him, but he knew her too well for that. "Anna, please tell me, what's wrong?"

Anna took one look into his concerned eyes and tears began to fall from her cheeks. "I don't think I can do this anymore." She remained silent for a moment, teardrops falling like beads of pearls from a string that snapped. Kristoff held her close, his strong arms around her shoulders.

After a moment, Anna spoke. "First, it was Hans, then this happened to Elsa, and now I have to run the kingdom even though I don't know how to do anything and they want me to get married so there'll be a king by my side but I love only you but I know you don't want to get involved in this royal business and I can't bear to do this to you and I'm just so lost and I don't know what to do..."

Kristoff's embrace gave her comfort even though he, too, was at a loss for what to say. She was right that he didn't want to be involved in the duties of royalty. He was a straightforward and simple man who only wanted to mine ice. He wasn't meant to become king.

"Anna, you're right. I don't want to become king." He could feel her body slacken even more in his arms. "But Anna, I love you more than anyone else in the world. And if it means that I have to learn how to do whatever kings do and attend balls, greet people and wear ridiculously fancy clothes, I'll do just that. I'll never leave you, Anna. I don't care what it takes; I will be always by your side."

Anna laid a gentle hand on his cheek and leaned in, kissing him. A smile lit up her weary face, filled with contentment and love. Because there, with a pair of warm arms enveloping her, everything was alright.

It didn't matter that there was an almost-murderer staying in the same building as her, nor that Elsa was on the verge of death with the only hope of the almost-murderer's brother to save her, nor that she had to run a whole kingdom while immense stress was placed on her. There, in that moment, in the arms of the man she loved more than anything, it was alright.

Everything was going to be alright.

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><p><strong>So this chapter ends with some Kristanna love. At first I was neutral to the pairing, but after a while it kind of grew on me and I kind of like it now. I still ship Helsa the most, but Kristanna's a second choice. Please leave a review, they inspire me to keep writing!<strong>

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**I thought it was about time I gave you guys an update, although this chapter isn't that great, more of a build-up to the future chapters. Thank you for all your reviews, they kept me going and encouraged me to write on. Right then, on with the story!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. And the cover image is from deviantart, by eminaytor. That doesn't belong to me either.

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><p><span><em>Chapter 14<em>

Elsa had to turn her head away from the window as the sunlight streamed into the room. She felt pain returning to her body, as she always did when she woke up. There was a constant dull throb as if her body was forcing itself to work even though it didn't want to. She tasted the metallic tinge of blood and the trail of dried blood at the side of her mouth confirmed that she had been coughing in her sleep again.

She couldn't tell what time of the day it was. She rarely could recently. Days had merged into one another, and she hardly saw the moon since she slept so early and awoke so late. It seemed she was sleeping more and more each time. She knew that one day she'd sleep and never wake up.

A resigned sigh escaped her lips. She was so afraid of what was after life. There were legends of angels taking her soul up to heaven, or demons dragging her to hell. Some books said she'd come back to life as another person or an entirely different entity. Maybe she'd even be a ghost, wandering about and trying to find peace.

She was then aware that someone was next to her bed, probably waiting for her to wake up. Sometimes it was just a guard, sometimes it was a physician and sometimes it was Anna. She slowly moved her head to see who it was this time. Her blue eyes lit up as she recognised the face of the man she knew and loved. "Hans?"

Hans was sitting in a chair next to the bed, his eyes gazing listlessly out the window. It seemed he didn't knew Elsa was awake until she called his name. "Elsa," he smiled. "I'm so glad to see you." He leaned in slightly and brushed his lips gently against her forehead. "I didn't want to disturb you, but I really missed you."

Elsa hummed softly in contentment. "If this is disturbing me, you should do it more often." She smiled. "I missed you too, Hans. I feel like I don't see you enough, even though I want to spend so much time with you before I go."

Sadness came to his eyes once again, and his green eyes, once lively, looked a little duller than before. "Please don't talk like that. There's still hope. I know it's hard, but you have to believe that my brother can help."

She merely sighed softly. Anna had told her about Helbrede's arrival, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. It was just too painful. "Hans, I know you don't want me to go. I don't want to leave this life either, but maybe...maybe it's just meant to be."

"But maybe it's not," Hans protested immediately. He sighed. "I know that it seems easier to just get rid of all the pain now and give up, but you need to know that...that I have never loved anyone the way I love you. Elsa, I don't know what I'd do without you. You forgave me. You saved me from myself even when I tried to kill you. Elsa...I love you...so much."

Hans had no idea where that came from. Was he so used to lying that it came this naturally? Were the words even lies? It came as a sudden realisation that he really did love Elsa. He knew he wanted her throne, and over time he learned to care for her, but he never realised that he had fallen in love with her. Until now. He tried to imagine his life without her, but he couldn't. She was his whole life. He knew that she had to live. She just had to.

Tears pricked at Elsa's eyes. There was so much raw emotion that filled his words. He had told her things before, about his past, but this was different. She had never seen him like this. He was so desperate, but he also had so much love in his heart. "I love you too, Hans."

A ghost of a smile played on Hans' lips. "Then have faith that you will live. Stay strong and keep on fighting. Please, Elsa. For me." He shuffled closer to the bed, reaching out and taking Elsa's hand. It was literally as cold as ice.

"Alright," Elsa said softly. That was all she had the energy to say, and she fell silent. She was getting weaker with each passing day. She was losing more blood than she could replace. She could feel it.

Elsa suddenly lurched forward and started another round of coughing. She could feel the blood being forced up her throat and she grabbed a piece of cloth by her bed to stifle the coughs. At once, the cloth was stained red. She slumped back down onto the bed, panting and weary.

Hans watched her with a pained look on his face. She didn't deserve it. If anyone deserved the suffering she was going through, it was him. But life wasn't like that. He took out his handkerchief and wiped away the trail of blood coming out of her mouth. If only her agony was as easy to wipe away.

She could only manage a small smile and a weak nod in thanks, too fatigued to do anything more. She had to take a moment to slow down her breathing and recover from the fit. Hans remained where he was, hand still clutching Elsa's.

"Hans." He looked up, his gaze expectant. "Stay with me, please." She sounded almost afraid of him leaving her, as if he would turn his back to save himself the pain of loss. That was what she had done, after all. She locked out everybody in her life because she was afraid of the brutality of the world.

"Elsa," he replied softly, gently. "They'll have to chase me out of the room before I leave." He gave her a reassuring smile before he leaned in closer and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

_._._._._.

Anna paced through the corridors of the large palace, her brows permanently furrowed in worry. She walked, then stopped upon arriving at a door. She knocked firmly, then opened it. "Prince Helbrede, I heard you wanted to see me?"

Helbrede looked up, nodding. "Yes, Princess Anna. Please, come in. We've finished the tests on Elsa's blood."

"So soon?" Anna smiled, a little happy. Around her were tables lined with medical equipment which she knew nothing about, and a few physicians were in the corner writing what seemed to be a report. "I'm impressed, Prince Helbrede."

"We all knew how important it was to be quick," Helbrede replied, a pleased flush on his face. He then turned to the medical notes he had written. "Our antidote works, the drug inside it works against the bacteria which have infested the cells."

A bright gleam of hope appeared in Anna's eyes. "That's wonderful news! You must administer it as soon as possible."

"Yes, but there is a slight complication," he interrupted before Anna got her hopes up too high. "Queen Elsa has lost too much blood for the antidote to be injected without any danger. We have to perform a blood transfusion, but it's very risky.

"Blood transfusions result in deaths sometimes. No one can really figure out why, but the best thing to do is to test the blood of the donor with Queen Elsa's, just in case. There is only enough sample for a few tests, and I cannot risk taking any more blood from her. Princess Anna, as the sister of the patient, you must choose who we should run the tests on. If we don't find a suitable donor, Elsa may die."

Anna bit her lip, worry evident on her features. "Take mine," she announced. "I'm her sister."

Helbrede nodded respectfully, preparing his needle and vial. Gently and quickly, following precise and efficient steps, Helbrede inserted the needle into Anna's arm and drew blood, just enough for the test.

Anna watched in anxiety as Helbrede walked over to what she assumed was a microscope, then placed a sample of Elsa's blood onto a plastic screen. His hands were steady as he took a few drops of Anna's blood and added them to Elsa's. He watched as the blood mixed. Then it began to clump together.

"Princess Anna, the result is negative," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

Anna looked disheartened and her frown deepened. "Kristoff! He'll help, I know he will."

"I should remind you again, Princess Anna, to choose wisely. You can only choose two more, or three at most. Elsa can't lose any more blood. Right now, her life is hanging on a thread."

_._._._._._.

Hans sighed as he engaged in his favourite pastime: thinking. He couldn't even count the number of times he had sighed that day, and it seemed like each sigh was deeper and more melancholic than the previous one. Doubt clouded his mind. What if Helbrede couldn't save Elsa? What if it was too late?

There were more than a million possibilities for something to go wrong, and be realised that he had been far too impractical to believe that everything would go smoothly. In his experience, he should have known that things rarely ever happened without complications.

A knock came from the door, before the door opened. Hans rose from his seat to meet his guest. "Kristoff," he greeted, as the mountain man entered and shut the door behind him. "What's the news?"

Kristoff gave him a strange look. "Were you expecting me?" It wasn't a question more than a statement.

"I suspected," Hans sighed. "These days there's just so many things going on that it's hard to even catch my breath." He paused. "Is it something to do with Helbrede?"

"Yes." Kristoff nodded. "I heard about what happened between you two. And I'm sorry."

Hans gave him a pained smile. "Thank you." There was a moment of silence as Hans recalled that memory, the wound still fresh in his mind. "What's the news?"

Kristoff looked up, almost as if he had forgotten what he was supposed to say. "Oh yes, about Prince Helbrede. He has finished the testing, and the medicine he found should work. But there's a problem. Elsa has lost too much blood for the medicine to be delivered properly. Helbrede is thinking of performing a blood transfusion, but there's some complications and he needs to find a match."

"Has he tried Anna?"

"That's the first person he tested. I was the second. Right now, Prince Helbrede only has enough sample left for one test. Anna and I have discussed this to a great extent, and we have decided that you would be the third. That is, if you're willing to."

"Me?" Hans brought a hand to his chest, a hand once smooth and clean now ragged after months of living alone and far from home.

Kristoff smiled a little. "Hans, we both know what you've done in the past. But we have decided to overlook that. You love Elsa, that is east enough to see. And even if it's not a match and Prince Helbrede has to risk taking more blood, we want you to be a part of this. At least you would have helped."

Hans couldn't help but turn the ends of his lips up in an attempt to smile. "It would be an honour." He was touched, to say the least. They trusted him. How would he be able to betray them and seize the throne? Did he even want the throne? He wanted Elsa to live, but it was so that he could marry his way into power, wasn't it? Or was there something Elsa amiss? He didn't even know.

The larger man motioned him up and began to leave the room. "Come, I'll take you to Prince Helbrede so he can get your blood and test it."

"Kristoff." Hans stopped him by laying a firm hand on his forearm just as he grabbed the doorknob. "Thank you. For trusting me."

Kristoff looked surprised for a moment, before a warm smile erupted. He let go of the doorknob and in one swift motion, embraced Hans. Then, just as quickly, he let go. "You earned it." He gave Hans a pat on the back. "Now come on. Let's go save Elsa."

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><p><strong>Yeah, more HansKristoff bromance, because I think two of them interacting is just so fun to write. Next update won't come all that early because things are looking busy for me. I'll do my best, and like I mentioned, reviews keep me going!**

**Until next time,  
>DBT<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**I think apologies are unnecessary now because the wait is seriously crazy long, I know. I haven't had access to the computer in weeks, which is why I've done as much typing on my phone as I can. That's also why I'm posting Chapters 15-17 all at once. So enjoy!**

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><p><span><em>Chapter 15<em>

Hans waited nervously in the room, his teeth tugging firmly at his bottom lip. His fingers overlapped each other before he untangled them and tangled them up again. It felt close to a few hours, though he was sure it hadn't even been a few minutes. Finally, the door opened and his head snapped up to see Helbrede walking in, medical bag in hand.

"Hans."

"Helbrede."

The older brother sat across Hans, opening his bag after laying it on the table which separated them. "Left arm on the table."

Lifting his arm, Hans obeyed and stretched it out, palm facing the ceiling. Helbrede prepared his needle and vial to collect the blood. His gaze was focused on his medical equipment and Hans knew that he was making a conscious effort to ignore the other person in the room. "Helbrede?"

"Don't speak to me while I'm concentrating on my equipment, Hans." Hans scowled but remained silent. That tone he used was the same one he had used when they were children, when Hans wanted to play but Helbrede was too busy with studies or with anything and everything else more important than his younger brother.

Helbrede, once ready, positioned the needle at a visible vein and pierced Hans' skin. Hans winced slightly as he saw his own blood flow through a tube and into a vial, staining it with his crimson liquid. Helbrede pulled the needle out not long later, applying pressure on the gauze he put on the needle mark.

He gathered his things and turned to go. Hans stopped him. "Helbrede, wait."

He stopped and turned back. "What?" His tone was impatient and irritable.

Hans stood as well, meeting his gaze squarely. "You knew I was here."

Helbrede chuckled in a condescending manner. "Of course. This is your room, after all, and the last time I checked you were a prisoner, so you're not allowed to-"

"No. I'm not talking about this room. I'm talking about Arendelle. You knew I was in Arendelle before you met me here." The silence was all the confirmation he is needed. "Who told you?"

"Who do you think?"

"Hamlin." It had to be him, the person not in Arendelle who knew he was here.

Helbrede applauded mockingly. "Congratulations, the little brother has a brain."

Hans couldn't take it anymore. His brother had disowned him, treated him like nothing and even at that moment when he was trying to have a serious conversation, he was speaking to him like the small boy he had grown out of. "What is wrong with you?" he snapped. "What did I ever do to you?"

Helbrede feigned surprise. "Apart from the fact that you destroyed the reputation of the kingdom and ruined the family name just to follow your own selfish and greedy pursuits? You nearly killed Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. You nearly slew them with your own sword."

"I've already received my punishment. And it doesn't explain the years before that. This is only one incident."

"Except that it's not." Helbrede sighed and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Do you remember when you were fourteen and you stole from a poor fruit vendor because you were too lazy to go home and bring money? We're rich and he was poor, yet you took from him just because it suited you. Or when you were nine and you messed up the royal office? That caused so much trouble for everyone."

"Yet you can pretend like you're all mighty and innocent? Haven't you forgotten about the time you climbed up the chimney and got the carpets dirty?"

"Yes, but at least I've grown out of it. I'm the head physician. I heal people and save lives, but look at you, twenty-three years old and still creating trouble for everyone around you. And even now, coming back here to Arendelle so you can have another shot at the throne-"

"No!" Hans' sudden outburst surprised them both, but Hans continued. "I came back here for forgiveness. I knew I was in the wrong and I apologised. I was sorry for my actions and they forgave me."

"Is that why you stayed on, pretending to be a prisoner here, trapped in your own room?"

"I stayed to be with Elsa. I...I fell in love with her."

"How romantic." Helbrede's tone was full of sarcasm, his brows furrowed in a disapproving frown. "Well, Hans. You may have fooled them but you can't fool me. I've known you since you were born and I can safely say that you're the same old person, creating problems and expecting everyone to fix them for you. Isn't that why you wrote to Hamlin to tell me to go?"

"Elsa wrote that, I didn't-"

"Do you think I'm stupid? That whole 'memory loss as a symptom of the sykdom' story may have sounded believable to Princess Anna, but not me. You wrote it. And now here you are, parading around in your room while everyone else is trying to solve the problem." He paused

for a moment, his frown deepening at the memory of a past experience. "This is just like what happened with Father and Mother."

Hans paused for a moment, taken aback at the mention of their parents. "What do you mean?" He sounded more uncertain, less sure of himself.

"They were dying, and while everyone else was worrying and trying to help, you were in your own little world, playing around and getting in the way."

"I was a child!"

"So were the rest of us. I wasn't much older than you, but I was helping the physicians in whatever way I could, and in my free time I would visit Father and Mother only to find they were too weary for visitors, tired out from playing games with their beloved littlest son - you. We all helped out, but you did nothing but take up all of their time and their energy."

Hans' brows furrowed at the words he had just heard, his lips pulled into a frown. "I-I didn't know." His voice was small, almost timid.

"Right. Of course you didn't. Like you said - you were just a child."

Hans didn't know what else to say, and so he remained silent.

Helbrede waited for a second, before straightening his coat. "I have nothing more to say to you." He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Hans balled his hands into fists as he stared at the door. He froze in that position, standing there with a frown on his face. It took him a while to wrap his mind around what just happened. He tried to give names to the emotions he felt. Hurt? Anger? Guilt? It was none of them, yet all of them.

Tears flowed freely down his cheeks as he brought his hands to his head and fingers curled around his auburn hair, almost as if that would stop the overwhelming torrent of emotion he was feeling.

The worst part of it was that Helbrede was right. He never noticed it, never thought about it, but he had taken up all his parents' attention. He remembered all his brothers working together to solve the problem. The eldest few ran the kingdom and settled the administrative things, while the rest took care of the people or helped the physicians. They all helped, except him. He played around and rode horses, having the time of his life.

He had wondered why his brothers were always so hostile and unfriendly. He thought it was because he was the youngest, but now he realised that wasn't the reason. And now he knew that all the hostility was well-deserved.

All those years that he thought himself better than others were lies he told himself. He was the worst human being who ever lived. He took all his parents' time away from his brothers, he nearly murdered two women with the kindest hearts he had ever seen and he lied to a queen to steal her throne, even when she was dying.

He still didn't know how he felt about Elsa. All along, he had tried to steal her throne, to pretend to love her. She had fallen in love with him, but he still wasn't sure. He had spent a lot of time with her, getting to know her, and he would admit that there was some form of attraction, but was it love? He doubted that his heart - so full of pain and evil - could ever find someone to love. Maybe it could happen, but he wasn't willing to find out.

Hans had made too many mistakes in one lifetime, hurt too many people. He couldn't put more people at risk of being hurt by him, just so he could find out if he was capable of love. He couldn't hurt Elsa, not again, not after everything she had been through. He had to leave before it was too late.

_._._._._.

That night, Hans gazed out the window at the moon high in the sky. It was almost full, but not quite yet. He would wait a few more days, then sneak out in the night. Getting past the guards in the castle was not an issue, it was just getting out of the castle. He knew Elsa's study had a window, so he could try climbing out the window. He would still end up in the castle courtyard. Perhaps he should just be honest. He had never tried that before. He could talk to Anna, explain to her how he needed to leave. He was sure with enough persuasion, he would be permitted to go his own way.

Hans couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like. Roaming the world, trying to find his place. He would probably die before too long. He didn't know how to catch food and he had always relied on someone. The life of royalty had spoilt him, and this was his price to pay.

The door slammed open, and Hans jumped in his seat in alarm. He stood up just as Anna walked in. "It's a match!" she greeted him with hope in her voice. "Your blood and Elsa's blood is a match. You can save her!"

He blinked a few times, her words processing inside his head. Yes, Helbrede had come to collect blood from him, but considering the conversation after, he had forgotten all about that fact. "Really?" he asked, almost refusing to believe.

"Yes, now come on, there's no time to lose," she said hurriedly and excitedly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of the room.

Hans could only follow as Anna held his wrist and ran along the corridors of the palace until they reached Elsa's room. "He's here!" she announced proudly, catching her breath.

"So he is." Helbrede looked up and his eyes met Hans' in an icy gaze. "Come on, then. We don't have all the time in the world."

"It really is true then? It's a match? I can save Elsa?"

Helbrede looked impatient. "That's why I took so long to check the blood. I had to make sure it was really a correct match. And it was." He reached out and clutched Hans' arm, wrenching it forward.

"I can't believe it," Hans murmured softly as he watched his brother pierce his skin and take out the blood.

"Well you better believe it." Hans turned to see Kristoff standing in a corner. He had been rushed in so quickly that he didn't notice the rest of the people in the room. There were physicians dressed in both the garb of Arendelle and the Southern Isles, as well as a few guards. Hans turned his gaze back to Kristoff, who stepped forward to take his place next to Anna. "Congratulations Hans, you're a hero."

Hans looked down, humbled. He glanced at the tube attaching his arm to Elsa's, where his blood was being transfused to Elsa's. They were connected, and he smiled at the thought of having the honour to save Elsa's life.

A moment of silence passed, before Helbrede took out the needle in Hans' arm. "Give me the medicine," he instructed his physicians, who hastily yet carefully handed him the vial. Helbrede brushed Hans aside before connecting the tube to the vial and watching as the pale blue liquid flowed into Elsa's blood. He then put a gauze on Elsa's arm and stood up from his kneeling position at the side of the bed.

"It is done." There was a collective sigh of relief before Helbrede turned to his physicians. "You may go. Let the Queen recover in peace. I will monitor her and take note of her progress." The physicians bowed and shuffled out, along with the guards. He then turned to Hans. "You may go as well."

"No." Determined green eyes met icy blue ones as the brothers locked their gazes.

Helbrede's brows furrowed. "I'm asking you nicely, Hans. Please leave this room."

Hans narrowed his eyes. "I'm staying with Elsa. I am going to be by her side. You don't get to tell me what to do."

"I am the head physician and I am telling you that I don't need you here. Now leave."

"No. I gave Elsa my blood! I saved her-"

"_You_ saved her?" Helbrede laughed mockingly. "_I_ saved the Queen, you cretin! I travelled here from the Southern Isles and I offered my research, my time, my medicine. You did nothing. You think that it was your courage and selflessness that saved the day? Ha! You're just as big of a fool as when you were a child. Luck was what chose you. You are nothing special and you never were. Hero, you say? No, Hans. You are nothing but the runt of the family and that is what you will always be."

There was a stunned silence as Helbrede glared at Hans like daggers aimed right at him. Anna held on tightly to Kristoff, silently watching in the corner, not knowing if they should interfere with the brotherly conflict. The whole room was so quiet and so tense that they could hear each other's breathing.

Hans swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Wordlessly, he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him. He stopped outside, just for a moment, then, he turned and fled to his room, wiping the tears which fell from his eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16_

It was almost dawn when Hans awoke to the sound of knocking on his door. He groaned and rubbed his weary eyes just as the door opened. He sat up tiredly and looked at the door, where Kristoff and Anna were entering.

"We're sorry, Hans, we didn't meet to wake you," Kristoff spoke as Hans got out of bed. They both looked like they hadn't slept the whole night, and Hans wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. "But we've come to tell you some urgent news."

Anna looked at Kristoff and sighed. "Elsa's awake. And she wants to see you." Hans' eyes lit up and he looked like we was about to leave before Anna stopped him. "But first, I must confirm something. Elsa didn't write to Prince Helbrede, did she? You did."

It wasn't a question, more of a statement. "Yes, it's true." Hans sighed and ran a hand through his auburn hair. "I'm sorry for lying to you, Anna. Really, I am. I told you that Elsa wrote it because I didn't want you to know about it until he actually arrived. I didn't know if he was going to come or not, and I was afraid that I would give you a false hope. I know how distraught you were about Elsa's illness, and I didn't want to give you hope just to have it crash down. Please, Anna, you have to believe me."

"You still lied."

"I admit to that, yes, but I did it to-"

Hans was cut off when Anna lunged forward and embraced him, wrapping her arms around him. She pulled away just as abruptly. "You did it to protect me, and for that I am thankful. I don't care what Prince Helbrede says about you, I know you've changed. And now you're a hero."

"Thank you, Anna. Your forgiveness...it means so much to me." Hans forced a smile, the nagging thought in his head telling him that Anna was wrong. Helbrede spoke the truth in exposing him as a heartless and ignorant fool.

Kristoff stepped forward and lay a comforting hand on Hans' shoulder. "Now go, Hans, Elsa's expecting you."

He didn't have to be told again, rushing out with a smile on his face. "Thank you, both of you," he called out as he charged out the door.

Hans' hands trembled as he knocked on the door and waited for Elsa to call him in, upon which he entered. The room was empty, save for the queen lying on her bed, her eyes fixed on Hans. "It's been too long since I last saw you," she said, her expression showing immense relief and joy. She made and effort to sit up and Hans jumped to her side to help her. She sat on the bed, her legs swinging off the edge. Hans took a seat next to her. "Anna told me about what you did. Thank you. You saved me."

"No, I didn't." Hans looked away, though his lips were pulled into a forced smile. He was happy to see Elsa well, but he didn't want to be reminded of how much of a hero he wasn't. "I just gave you my blood. If Anna's blood had been a match then you would be thanking her, and it was Helbrede who cured you with his medicine. He was the one who did everything."

Elsa frowned and lay her hand on his. It wasn't nearly as cold as it was before. "Why do you put yourself down like this? You were the one who wrote to Helbrede, as Anna told me. You were the one who sat by my side and spent time with me."

"Exactly." Hans sighed. "I didn't do anything. Helbrede and the physicians monitored you and made the cure. Anna and Kristoff handled matters of the kingdom and settled everything. I just stayed in my room, wasted your energy talking to you and just became a huge burden."

"Hans, that's not true. You were the one who gave me strength. If I'm to be completely honest, spending time with Anna was stressful because her anxiety and unease was clear. The physicians weren't much company, mainly standing around and entering whenever they needed to. But you...you came and you talked to me like how we talked when we were in the ice castle. You were the one who kept encouraging me to fight and to stay strong. You kept me alive for this long."

"That was Pabbie's magic as well as yours. Magic strengthened you, not me."

"Magic made me strong physically, but you gave me the words I needed to be strong mentally, to hang on to life even though it was so tempting to let go." Elsa brought her hand up to Hans' cheek. "Hans. You saved me." Green eyes met crystal blue ones. She leaned in and kissed him, just as she had longed for during her days of sickness.

Hans pulled away and looked down. "I'm sorry Elsa, but I can't."

She frowned and shifted closer to him, bending her head down to try and meet his eyes. "Hans, what's wrong? Why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not who you think I am."

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"I just..." he paused and sighed. "Helbrede told me some things about my past, things which made me realise that I am not a good person. I've made some pretty bad mistakes, and a person like me doesn't deserve to be with a person as kind and sweet and loving as you." He clenched his jaw tightly. "I can't bear the thought of maybe hurting you one day."

"Hans, everyone has made mistakes."

He shook his head. "Not like the ones I've made."

"If you're talking about what happened during the freezing over, you know I've forgiven you."

"It's more than that." Hans shook his head. "Things which would make me seem like a monster."

Elsa leaned her body against him. "You know I won't love you any less." Hans merely glanced at her and looked down, his lips pulled into a tight line. She sighed. "So what now? You want us to be apart and now you're going to just leave?" Hans remained silent once again and he looked down at his shoes. "You were planning on leaving." The silence was all the confirmation she needed. "When?"

"Tonight," he finally spoke.

"Without saying goodbye?" She sounded surprised.

Hans shrugged. "I guess...I guess I thought it was better that way. I didn't even know I would get to see you."

"And you were thinking you could just sneak out of the castle and walk away like a free man? You're still a prisoner of the kingdom, Hans. Just because you are permitted to stay in a guest room doesn't mean you are a guest."

"You said you had forgiven me."

"I have, but that doesn't mean you didn't do the things you did, and that doesn't mean that the law can be overlooked just like that."

"Does this mean that you're in love with a criminal, then? That your boyfriend is a captive of state."

"Yes, I guess it does." Elsa sighed. "It wouldn't be fair to let you free."

"Not fair? I have my own life!"

"And you chose to nearly kill me and Anna. I don't think you realise how lucky you are. Do you even know how hard I had to fight with the council just so you could stay in your room and not in a jail cell?"

Hans looked shocked for a moment. "They know I'm here? I thought it was a secret."

"How could I possibly keep it a secret? You are a criminal and as queen of the kingdom, I have to make sure you're not in a position to hurt anybody."

"How long have they known?" he asked, frowning.

"Since the first day I saw you in the ice castle. I had to make sure that you didn't leave."

"You told the council but you didn't tell Anna?"

"No, of course not. She'd be distraught about it. I didn't expect her to go looking for you."

Hans had his brows furrowed in a frown. He couldn't believe it. He had been wrong this whole time. He wasn't a secret, and his majestic plan of marrying into the position of power would have failed. "I can't believe it," he mumbled to himself. His plan had gone wrong from the very beginning.

"Why?" Elsa questioned. Hans looked up, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. "What does it matter?"

"I-" he paused abruptly, unsure if he should continue. Should he come clean and be truthful for once in his life? He thought for a moment.

No. At least, not at that point. "Did you really love me, then?"

"Of course I did! I wouldn't have argued with the council for you if I didn't love you so." She had a hurt look on her face. "How can you even say that?" She knew he had avoided her question. He was hiding something, but she let it be just for that moment.

"You didn't want to marry me. You said your duty to Arendelle is more important. Do you still mean that?"

"Yes." She sighed. "Maybe I can speak to the council, but I don't think they'll change their mind, especially not for you."

"Then maybe it's better if I go."

"You're really still thinking of leaving? Of turning your back on everything you've done and trying to escape?"

Hans stood up, unable to sit still for a second longer. "Well, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Stay here. Wait for a trial and serve out your sentence. I've been putting it off for long enough but we can't avoid it forever." Elsa remained in her seat on the edge of the bed.

"I can't stay here, Elsa. Being around you and everyone here reminds me too much of the mistake I've made."

"You can't keep running from your past, Hans. It's going to catch up with you until you face it." She reached out and took his hand, trying to pull him back. When she was met with silence, she let out a sigh. "You're still going to try to leave?"

"Yes." His eyes glassed over and held a distant gaze.

Elsa finally gave up, annoyed. She let go of his hand and looked away, folding her arms in front of her chest. "Fine. But just know that when you get caught trying to escape, I won't be able to help you anymore."

"Fine."

"I think it's time for you to go." She stood up to match him, asserting her authority as queen of Arendelle.

However, she had only just recovered. Her body was weak, and her legs gave way as she fell back onto her bed.

Hans was by her side in an instant, his arm around her waist to steady her. "Elsa, you must take care of y-"

"Hans." She moved away from him, pushing him away gently. "Just go. Please."

He looked stunned as he retracted himself and took a few steps back. "As you wish." He bowed his head slightly to hide the hurt look on his face before turning and leaving.

_._._._._.

The sun was setting over the horizon, and fewer rays of bright orange seeped through the window, until darkness came over the room. Hans sighed and thought back to the conversation with Elsa. He hated fighting with her. It made him uneasy and uptight. He had come to realise that he truly cared for her deeply, but he didn't like being cooped up.

Even so, he realised that Elsa was right. He was a prisoner, even if he was treated like a guest. If he had caught a criminal of the Southern Isles, he would probably have done the exact same thing. His situation was a little more complicated, since he had received his punishment in his home kingdom. Politics were complicated, just like his relationship with Elsa.

Hans knew that it was hard for them, considering he was an enemy of the kingdom. Sometimes he wondered how she even allowed herself to fall in love with him. Of course, he practically made her fall in love with his suave moves, forcing her to open up.

His mind drifted back to their relationship. At first she was just the newly-crowned queen, distant and aloof. He knew her as the one who shut out her sister, as Anna had told him on the night they had met. Elsa was the one who refused to let them get married, and that was when her power was revealed to all.

After that, she had been the target. The one to kill after he had dealt with Anna. Remorse still coursed through him when he remembered his hands gripping the sword, carrying it high above his head, about to bring it down on Elsa's. He didn't know what he would have done if he had actually succeeded.

Elsa had been the only thing to stand in the way of the throne of Arendelle and he thought, if he couldn't defeat her, he'd join her. That was how the plan of sneaking into her heart came about. And it had worked. She had fallen in love with him after much time, patience and careful planning. The setback of his plan was the sickness claiming Elsa, almost taking her life. He hadn't anticipated it at all, but if he was truly honest what he didn't expect the most happened to him. He didn't expect to fall in love with her.

It had taken close to forever to realise it even though it was right in front of him. He had denied it for far too long, and he decided to admit it to himself at last. All those times he told Elsa that he loved her in an attempt to gain her love was real. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he had fallen in love, but it had happened somewhere along the way.

What stunned him the most was that his plan wouldn't have ever worked. He had thought that he was going undercover, but he had been exposed since the very beginning. If he had proposed and she said yes, the council would know something was amiss. He may have been thrown into jail or sent off to the Southern Isles to be thrown into jail there. Either way, it would not have worked out well for him.

He wondered, though, how much Elsa had to fight for him during the council meetings she sometimes brought up. He was a criminal, yet after months he still hadn't stood trial. In the Southern Isles he had received his punishment on the day of his arrival. He was certain that Arendelle was no less efficient, it was just Elsa's kind heart that saved him.

Even after all Elsa had done, Hans still wanted to go behind her back and leave. His bag was already packed, containing his money, clothes and everything else owned. He just had to get up and walk away. It was the best opportunity to do so, with the guards securing Helbrede's safety and attending to Elsa's recovery, there would be fewer guards patrolling the walls of the castle. It was his best shot at leaving.

But he couldn't just leave...could he?

He didn't even know.

Hans hung his head in his hands and sighed. He had to make a decision, and quick.

In his position he remained stationary and unmoving, until finally he stood up. His travelling bag lay on the corner of the bed, begging to be picked up.

Hans inhaled deeply, reached out and grabbed the bag.


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

Morning had arrived once again, and Elsa awoke to the light streaming in through the windows. There was an uneasy feeling inside her, reminding her that something was amiss. She didn't have to be reminded, though.

The first thing she thought of was Hans. It had been on her mind the whole of the precious night. It had been plaguing her as physicians came in and out to monitor her recovery and now it was haunting her, the minute she woke up. Was he gone? Had he been caught? She almost wished he was, because if he wasn't it meant that she would never see him again. And she never even got to say a proper goodbye.

She hadn't meant what she said. She was tired and fatigued, speaking words which were only out to hurt. The moment he walked out the door, she wanted to take back what she had said. She didn't want him to leave, and that kept her from saying a proper farewell.

Suddenly, a knock came from the door and Elsa immediately sat up on her bed. "Come in!" she called, trying to keep her excitement down. Was it Hans? Had he come back?

"Your highness." It was just a physician. He entered and bowed respectfully. Elsa did all she could to hide her disappointment. What was she thinking? "How are you feeling this morning?"

A faint smile appeared on her face. "Much better, thank you." She pushed the sheets off her legs and slid them over to hang over the edge of her bed. Then, she pushed herself up and stood firmly on her two feet. "I'm able to stand today. The medicine which Price Helbrede gave me works wonders."

"That's very good to hear, your highness. Your progress of recovery is much faster than we expected. But please do remember not to over-exert yourself." Elsa nodded dumbly, though her expression showed interest. The physician bowed once again and then took his leave.

Elsa sighed softly and sat back down. She couldn't believe she thought Hans was about to come see her. It was a ridiculous thought, she realised. She closed her eyes and felt tears welling up. Her eyebrows furrowed in a sorrowful frown and her lips were pulled downward.

Another knock came and Elsa's eyes sprang open. She brushed the tears from her eyes. "Come in," she called for the second time that morning. It was probably another physician, or maybe it was the same one coming back to ask a few more questions.

The person entered and Elsa looked up. Perhaps it really was Hans this time. "Your highness." No, it was a servant of the castle. "Prince Helbrede is taking is leave."

"So soon?" Elsa replied, surprised. She stood up and walked to her wardrobe. "And so early?"

The servant nodded. "The prince said he had duties to return to and he would like to set sail before the wind falters."

Elsa nodded, her gaze distant as she gave the servant a soft smile. "Thank you. I will see to the prince soon. You may go." The servant bowed and scurried out of the room.

In a few moments, Elsa was descending the stairs to main castle area. Anna was there as well, trying to engage in small talk with the Southern Isles prince. She looked a little relieved when Elsa finally arrived. "Elsa," she said with a smile. "You're looking better."

"I'm feeling better as well," Elsa replied courteously. "Thanks to your experienced healing techniques, Prince Helbrede. I would be gone if it weren't for you."

Helbrede smiled and straightened his back in pride, his chest puffing up. "Yes, well, I do what I can to those who need me. It's good to hear you are well and on your way to a full recovery."

"Your kindness is not unnoticed. As a gift, salt, wheat and grapes are being loaded onto your ships as we speak. Southern Isles traders are always welcome in our ports, and the royal family is always invited to our castle." Elsa smiled warmly, recounting the brief discussion she had with the foreign affairs council just the day before.

Helbrede returned the smile. "Thank you, Queen Elsa. I wish you the best of health and I bid you farewell." He bowed firmly, shook the hands of the important people in the room and left.

Anna glanced at Elsa once the ministers and servants began to filter out of the room. "I suppose Hans didn't want to see Helbrede again?"

A knot swelled up in Elsa's throat. "No," she choked out, memories of the previous day flooding her mind. Their fight, the hurtful words. "He doesn't want to see anybody." There was a pause as Elsa composed herself. "Excuse me, Anna, I must go check on something. I'll see you later."

Elsa brushed past her and walked away, her jaw clenched and her eyes filled with unshed tears.

_._._._._.

"You're absolutely certain that there were no threats to security? No one entered or left the castle?" Elsa pressed forward, her eyes fixed on the man before her.

The head guard nodded firmly. "Of course, your highness. The castle is under watch every night. No one could have entered without us knowing of it." His brows furrowed and he tilted his head to the side. "Is there something wrong, your highness? Have you heard otherwise?"

Elsa shook her head and glanced down. "No, nothing is the matter. I just wanted to ensure the castle is secure. Thank you." She offered a smile and a nod as the guard bowed to her and took his leave to resume his post.

So Hans succeeded, then. He had found a way to escape in the night without getting caught. He was really gone. She had hoped he would be caught, then felt ashamed of the thought. She didn't want any harm to befall him, of course, but at the same time she wanted him to come back.

During his time in the castle, Elsa was very busy, running the whole kingdom and settling the affairs of the state. She rarely had the time to sneak away to see him, but even then there was the knowing that he was in his room and that she could see him. Those days had passed. She could never see him again and their last moment they had spent fighting. She was tired and angry, but that was no excuse. And now she felt the consequences.

"Your highness," a servant interrupted her thoughts as the queen walked through the hallways of the castle. "The council is ready to see you."

Elsa nodded. She had called a meeting the day before, wanting to talk about some pressing issues. The physicians had told her to take things easy, but she knew that as a queen, she had duties and responsibilities to uphold. She couldn't rest even if she wanted to.

She descended the stairs from the high tower of the guards and strode into the meeting room with the poise of a queen, even though her heart dragged along as if it were forced to go. It still ached from the departure of Hans.

As a child, she had read books about girls who had lost the person they loved and felt a huge chasm in their souls. The term, she recalled, was heartbroken. She never understood it, even thought it was foolish, until now. She felt as though her heart was cracked.

"Queen Elsa, your highness, how are you feeling?" The voice of a councilman sitting before her broke her out of her thoughts.

Elsa gave a polite smile and nod. "Much better." She took a seat at her usual spit at the head of the long table. "Thank you for meeting with me today. I'd like to discuss something of importance with you." The council members looked at her expectantly as she paused. She took a breath in. "I want to set Hans free."

There was a moment of dead silence. Then, chaos.

Every single council member spoke up, opposing her idea with strong voices. Elsa winced slightly. She had anticipated this, of course, but it was still something she did not wish she had to deal with. She took a deep breath in. "I understand the reaction, but please hear me out." Elsa had to fight the volume of the councilmen voicing their opinions, but soon enough they stopped and looked at her expectantly, so she continued.

"Over these months, I have learned more and more about Prince Hans. He had been banished from his own kingdom and he came here seeking forgiveness. As a sign of good will, he gave himself up to be our prisoner. Now I realise that Prince Hans is truly a changed man. He has turned over a new leaf and I think that the punishment he received from his own kingdom is enough. Justice has already been served."

One of the members finally spoke. "Your highness, Prince Hans is still a criminal of the kingdom. His crimes still stand."

"His crimes have been answered for. He is in exile for them. I say we let him go as a free man and allow him to live the life he wants, wiping his slate clean."

The council members looked at each other. Another one piped up. "Your highness, are you sure that you made this decision because you truly believe that it is better for the kingdom? Or are your personal feelings clouding your judgement?"

Elsa frowned a little. Had they known about her and Hans? She hadn't made it a conscious effort to hide her visits, but she never mentioned them before. "What do you mean?"

"As the council, it is our duty to know what is going on both outside and inside these castle walls. You have been speaking with Hans and you believe that he has saved your life. Clearly, you have grown fond of him. Perhaps this affection has given you thoughts about this prince. He could be lying, or tricking you."

"He's not!" Elsa surprised herself at the small outburst. She calmed herself down, feeling ice starting to form on her fingertips. "Hans is a good man. He has changed. He wouldn't lie. He may have in the past, but not now." Discreetly, she placed her hands on her lap and under the table, away from their sight.

"Your highness, you do realise that you still must find a prince to marry before you turn twenty-five. Prince Hans is exiled. He is not a suitable king and you cannot marry him. Be careful in your affections, your highness."

"I know I can't marry him. But it's not about that. This is a discussion for another day. Today I want Hans free." Elsa looked at each council member in the eye, ensuring that they knew she was both assertive and serious about her stand.

There was another exchange of looks among the members. The first one spoke again. "Your highness, please, you must-"

"I am your queen, councilmen," she interrupted. She was tired and she was uninterested in continuing the conversation. It would only go back and forth to no conclusion. "I have the kingdom's best interest at heart and I want Prince Hans to be a free man. What I say, goes. I want the paperwork done by the end of the week."

Frowns were seen clearly on the council members face, but Elsa stood firm. There was a tense silence before they all slowly nodded. "Yes, your highness," one member finally said.

"Thank you all for coming." Elsa stood up, bowed at them and turned her back to leave.

She sighed, relieved that she got what she wanted. Yet, she hated how she got it. She had never used her royal powers to do something like this, to force others to do what she wanted. But she had no choice. She had to get Hans free.

After all, he had already left the castle.

_._._._._.

Anna skipped down the hallways of the castle, a bright grin on her face. Ever since she had received those flowers from Kristoff, there was nothing that could dampen her mood. It had come with a note, requesting her presence at dinner. In other words, he was asking her out on a date.

They used to go out every other day, spending many hours together. But with so many things happening, they rarely had time. As things finally settled down, Kristoff took the opportunity to return things to before.

The bubbly princess smiled even wider when she saw Elsa walking in front of her. "Elsa!" she called out, running to catch up with her. She stumbled a little, but soon stood by her sister's side. She beamed at Elsa, before her smile faltered at the look on Elsa's face. "What's wrong?"

Elsa quickly forced a smile. "Nothing, Anna." She glanced at the flowers in Anna's arms. "Flowers? From who?"

"Kristoff!" Elsa looked surprised. "I know, he's not the kind of guy who usually does things like this. Imagine how surprised I was! I just found them in the gardens today. I don't know how he knew I was there but it was so sweet! And it came with a note. He asked me out for dinner!"

Elsa couldn't help but smile from Anna's contagious happiness. "That's wonderful, Anna. I'm sure you'll have a great time with Kristoff."

Anna tilted her head to the side, studying her sister. "Now what's wrong? You look so sad and distressed. And don't tell me that nothing's wrong because I know something is not right." Elsa sighed and looked away. "You can tell me anything, Elsa."

There was a short pause. "It's Hans," Elsa finally said. Anna was going to say something, but decided not to, electing to remain silent and giving Elsa a little more time to explain. "He proposed to me."

"What? How? When? What did you say?" Anna burst out, unable to contain herself.

"It was before I fell ill. He said he wanted to marry me but I told him that I couldn't because I had to marry a prince, or at least someone who isn't a criminal. I have my duty to the kingdom." Elsa paused for a moment. "Then while I was sick I didn't see very much of him. He came to me several times to talk, but he didn't mention his proposal. We were both more concerned about me getting better. But after I got better, he came to my room again. He said that Helbrede said some things to him about his past. He said he had to leave everything, start anew and that it would be too painful to stay. He said that if my duty to my kingdom was more important, then...then there was no point being together anymore." Elsa bit her lip to stop herself from emitting a low sob.

"I can't believe him! He said that?"

Elsa shrugged. "Something along the lines of that."

Anna reached forward and hugged her sister. "It's going to be alright, Elsa. There are plenty of other men, decent men, who are better off than him." Elsa merely nodded dumbly and weakly hugged back. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't think so, Anna. But thank you." Elsa pulled away and let go of Anna's hands. "Now go," she said, glancing back at Anna's bedroom door. "You don't want to be late for your date with Kristoff, do you?"

Anna looked as if she forgot ad her eyes lit up and she held her bouquet of flowers even more tightly in her hands. "I'll see you later, Elsa," she gave her sister another smile and disappeared into her room.

The forced smile on Elsa's face dropped immediately and she let out a sigh. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Anna. Anna was her sister and they were the best of friends, despite their troubled childhoods. She was just a little preoccupied with the whole Hans issue and it was hard to see her sister so happily in love when thean she had given her heart to had left her.

Elsa paused in front of her own door, her heart still clenched in her chest. Maybe Hans was waiting for her at the other side of the door. Maybe he hadn't left yet and was waiting to surprise her. She reached out her hand to touch the doorknob but paused. Her arm dropped to rest by her side.

No, she thought. I can't go on like this. I have to accept the fact that Hans is gone.

She blinked away a few tears forming in her eyes. Her body turned. She continued walking down the corridor. Turn after turn, step after step. Elsa walked a route which was so familiar yet too unused. If she had used the route more often, Hans would probably be there and Elsa wouldn't have to walk these hallways with a fissure in her heart.

She looked around first, making sure that no one was looking for her. Then, she took an apprehensive breath. She gripped the doorknob until her knuckles were white, then opened the door and walked into Hans' room.

The room was dim as always, the last rays of the setting sun seeping through the thin curtains. The bed had not been made, the food which he had stockpiled was still left out, but other than that there was no sign of life.

Then something caught her eye. A brown satchel lying in the corner of the room. A dark shadow fell on her and gripping the table, she turned around and took in a shaky breath. She couldn't hold it back anymore and a tear flowed down her cheek.

"No..."

_._._._._.

"-and so I tried to calm him down by giving him a carrot and then Sven looked at the guy and spit out his carrot right into his face!"

Anna immediately burst out laughing, having to physically restrain herself by gripping onto Kristoff's muscular arm. She laughed so hard her sides hurt and she could only speak after a few moments of calming herself down. "Okay, you win, that is the funniest story I have ever heard."

"Told you I would. You wouldn't believe the kind of adventures I have with Sven while collecting ice," Kristoff beamed, proud of himself for winning that mini contest he had with Anna on who could tell the funniest story. But most importantly, he was proud that he could make her laugh. That was the plan, after all, since Anna had gone through so much pain with the recent events.

"Speaking of, where is that adorable reindeer?" Anna inquired, looking around as if Sven would magically appear from the bushes. They were in the royal gardens, taking a long evening stroll. More like midnight stroll, Anna thought. She didn't even know what the time was, but she knew that she was having the time of her life so that was all that mattered.

Kristoff nodded in the direction of the stables. "He's in the stables tonight. It took a couple more carrots and even a tiny sugar cube to get him to cooperate, but didn't want him to crash our date. I didn't want a nosy reindeer interrupting our dinner."

"Which was lovely, by the way." Anna grinned at him with eyes that held nothing but love. "The roses were fantastic and the candles were so romantic and I can't believe you brought all the food and the table right into the gardens. You know this is my favourite place in the entire castle," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Kristoff smiled, letting go of her hand. They had reached the pavilion in the centre of the gardens and he sat down on the stone bench, Anna following suit. "You look beautiful tonight, by the way." He glanced at her once again, taking in her earth-green and brown dress which matched her hair which was tied up neatly in an intricate bun. A silver snowflake necklace lay on her neck, a present given to her by Kristoff himself after their six-month anniversary.

Anna blushed a little. "Thank you. And look at you, dressed up all nicely in a jacket." It was true, Kristoff had taken a nice long shower, combed his hair and put on a nice navy blue jacket for the evening.

There was a peaceful pause before Kristoff shuffled in his seat to face Anna. "Listen, Anna, I have to tell you something." Anna looked expectantly at him and he took in a deep breath. "I was thinking a lot about what you said about me being a king. You're right, you know. I was raised by trolls and I grew up sleeping in barns. And you, you're a princess, next in line for the throne. I don't know how to rule a kingdom."

"Kristoff...what are you saying?" Panic stuck Anna. Was he breaking up with her? Maybe he took her out to have one last happy memory before breaking her heart. Could it be true?

The mountain man quickly shook his head. "Wait, hear me out first." He took a deep breath in and put his hand behind his back, reaching for something. "What I'm trying to say is that I know I'm not cut out for this king thing, but if you want me to I'll do it. Anna, you are the light of my life and I have never loved anyone nor will I love anyone as much as I love you."

Kristoff slid off his seat and knelt down in front of her, taking a small box out of his back pocket and opening it, revealing a ring. "Princess Anna of Arendelle, will you marry me?"

Anna didn't know what to say. Tears filled her eyes and began to flow down endlessly. She brought a hand up to her mouth to hide her shock as she cried openly. Kristoff looked a little worried, but the only thing that came to mind was wiping the tears off her face. "Yes!" Anna finally said when she had found her voice. "Yes I will marry you."

Kristoff stood up and leaned forward, trapping her lips in a loving kiss as he slid the ring up her fourth finger. They broke apart for air as he brought his hands up to brush the tears from her cheek. "I love you, Anna."

"And I love you too, Kristoff," she replied before wrapping her arms around him in a loving embrace.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't even know why this story is so long. I planned for it to be 10 chapters, and I'm not even done at 17. It'll be ending soon, though. I think a few more chapters. I'll try to get it done by the end of this year, but no promises. Thanks for sticking around even though the waiting sucks. I seriously appreciate all your follows and favourites, and especially reviews. So leave a review, if you please!<strong>

**Until next time,**

**DBT**


	18. Chapter 18

**At last, here are the last few chapters of my story. Thank you all for your patience and for all the positive response for this story. Enjoy the last three chapter!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em><span>Chapter 18<span>_

"Elsa." He reached out to hold her but Elsa stepped back and shied away.

"H-Hans." Her voice was so soft and trembling. The queen brought her hand to her face to hide her tears as she turned her back on the man. "No...no, you can't be here. I'm just seeing things."

Snow began to surround Elsa, as if creating a barrier to keep everyone out, or to keep her in. Ice formed on the ground she stood, the snow whirling around the room just as her emotions whirled around her heart. "I'm sorry for last night, Elsa. I didn't mean what I said. I was just confused. I didn't know who I was and I didn't know what to do and I thought that if I left then I could somehow find myself. But I couldn't do it."

Elsa looked up at those familiar green eyes with depth so great it seemed to see right through her. She tore her gaze away as her tears slowly stopped. "What changed your mind?"

"I...I was afraid," Hans finally admitted, hanging his head. He didn't want to talk about it, but he figured he owed her an explanation, at the very least.

"Of what, getting caught?" Elsa challenged, her hands clenched into fists as she breathed in and out, the intensity of the snowstorm inside the room slowing.

Hans shook his head. "Of losing you."

Elsa's eyes flashed angrily. "So you didn't want to lose me, yet you thought it was fine to break me." Hans remained silent in his confusion. She whipped around to glare at him. "Why didn't you come see me? You could have come for me! But you didn't. When I awoke, I thought maybe you had stayed. I waited the whole day for you. So I gave up hope. You put yourself in front of everything we've been through, leaving with nothing but a cryptic reason. You could have come for me! You could have…"

Hans slowly began to understand the source of her anger and his eyes dropped down in guilt. "I didn't mean to hurt you...I'm sorry. I was afraid you didn't want to see me. I thought you might still be angry."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "You always have a good reason for everything. But the truth is that you spin nothing but lies. Your heart is frozen, and nothing can change that."

Her words were as cold and piercing as the ice that formed on the ground beneath them. She turned to go, but Hans caught her wrist. He shivered at how cold it was, but he didn't release his grip. "Elsa, please."

"Let go of me," she commanded with all the strength she could muster. But Hans didn't let go, pulling her close to him until she was trapped in his arms.

Hans held her tightly against his chest, her head resting in the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry." He rubbed small and gentle circles in her back as she wept. Ice formed on his shirt and he knew that it was getting significantly colder, but he didn't care. "That's not true. You changed me. You thawed my frozen heart." He clenched his jaw, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "I love you, Elsa."

_._._._._.

Anna woke up with a yawn, her red hair in a mess, as usual. Memories of the previous night came flooding back and a bright grin began to form on her face. She looked down at her right hand, where a ring rested gently on where her fourth finger met her knuckle. She was an engaged woman.

She jumped out of bed and began to get ready for the day. She tied her hair neatly into her two signature braids as she threw on a dress. She was out of the room before she had even finished putting on her shoes, running to the stables where she knew she would find her new fiancé.

"Princess Anna," someone called as she slid a corner and nearly crashed into a priceless vase. She came to an abrupt halt at the sound of her name, her face flushed as she turned around. It was a servant. "Pardon my interruption, your highness. I received a highly important express mail for Queen Elsa but I can't seem to find her. Perhaps you may know where she is."

"Sure," Anna glanced at the rolled up paper in the servant's hand and nodded, her mind still preoccupied with something else. She took the parchment and slipped it into her pocket. "I must go. I'll give it to Elsa, don't worry." With that, she was off, running through the corridors once again.

Her hair was starting to get a little messed up and her dress was getting crumpled. But all she could think about was getting to the stables as fast as possible.

"Kristoff!" she called, spotting a familiar mop of dirty blonde hair. She ran down the corridor and crashed into his arms.

"Hey," he grinned back at her, lifting her high up into the air and twirling her around before setting her back down. He leaned in to kiss her, his hand on her cheek. "I missed you, even if it was just for one night."

Anna grinned back. "I missed you too."

Kristoff took her hand. "Did you sleep well?"

"The best sleep I've had in a long time," Anna smiled, squeezing Kristoff's hand. "I can't wait to start planning for the wedding! How long does it even take to plan a wedding? A month? A year? I don't even know. Is there a royal wedding planner? I guess I wouldn't know since I haven't gotten married before. That's the way it should be, but still."

"Shouldn't we announce it first?" Kristoff suggested as he began walking through the stables, Anna by his side. "That's what people usually do, right?"

"That's right," Anna replied, almost as if she forgot. "We should tell the whole kingdom, and we can have this huge royal wedding in the chapel. It'll be so magical! I have to tell Elsa."

Kristoff looked surprised. "You haven't told her yet?"

"I haven't seen her yet. I actually have to go look for her, but I wanted to see you first." There was a slight pause as she looked down at her hand. "Why do you think they call this finger a ring finger? Is it because no one else really knew what to call it so they just decided that it should serve a purpose of putting rings on? Or maybe it had a different name but everyone started calling it that when people started putting rings on it? Don't you ever wonder? It's so strange."

Anna turned to face Kristoff with her bright eyes sparkling in curiosity. He chuckled slightly. "I don't know, Anna. But one thing I do know is that I love you and I'm so glad that that ring is proof."

A blush crept onto Anna's face. "Oh, well, I was just wondering. You know me." She laughed lightly. "Anyway, I guess I should let you get going, with your ice-collecting and all."

"Yeah, I'm about to head out soon. Got to get the ice back in by sundown." Kristoff looked at the sky with a small shrug before turning back to Anna. "I'm glad you came to see me."

"Me too."

Kristoff smiled. "I'll see you later, Anna."

Anna nodded in agreement. "Bye," she said quickly before she stood on her toes and leaned forward to give Kristoff a peck on the lips. With that, she was gone, running off to wherever she had to go.

Kristoff gently brought his hand up and his fingers gently touched his lips which was pulled into a wide smile. He didn't care how long they stayed together. That would never get old.

_._._._._.

"Elsa?" Anna knocked on the door of Elsa's room but there was no reply. She gently opened the door, expecting to find it locked. To her surprise, it opened with a creak. She took a few steps into the room. "It's me – Anna." She looked around. Elsa was nowhere to be found and her bed hadn't been slept in. "Elsa?" She was worried now. She didn't know where Elsa could be.

Maybe the letter could provide a clue, she thought, taking the parchment out from her pocket. Her lips pulled downwards into a frown. The letter was sealed with the royal insignia of the Southern Isles. What would the royalty of the Southern Isles be doing sending a letter through express? Express letters were only for very important and emergency letters.

Anna debated with herself on whether to open it. She knew that it was wrong to go through Elsa's mail, but it could give a clue to where Elsa was. Then again, Anna mused. It wasn't as if she had searched for Elsa thoroughly. She put the letter back in her pocket.

With curiosity clawing at her, Anna ran through the corridors of the castle, searching for Elsa. She checked Elsa's study, the dining room, the meeting room, the kitchen, the gardens and the stables. She couldn't find Elsa anywhere.

It was a good time to open the letter, concluded Anna, perhaps a little too eagerly. She went back into Elsa's empty room and sat on Elsa's unoccupied bed. She took the letter from her pocket and examined it more clearly. The paper was of high quality, which was expected of an important official document.

Finally, she gave up trying to deduce something and opened the letter. She quickly unfolded the parchment and her eyes scanned through it rapidly, devouring its contents. Once she was done, she looked up, her eyes clouding over with understanding.

Anna clutched the letter tightly in her hand and ran from Elsa's room, right towards Hans'. She threw open the door and there he was, the man who was supposed to have abandoned Elsa sitting on his bed. And Elsa sitting next to him. "I knew it," Anna couldn't help but grin at the fact that she was right.

Elsa stood up in surprise. "Anna, what are you doing here?" She didn't let Anna answer before she shook her head and spoke again. "I know what I told you yesterday, but I can explain."

"Explain later, first you have to read this," Anna said, shoving the letter into Elsa's face. "It's a reply from the king of the Southern Isles. I know it was technically for you, but the servants couldn't find you then I tried looking for you but I couldn't find you either and I thought that this letter could give me a clue and it did. So I found you and I have to give you this letter and it's about-" she paused to turn to Hans "-you!"

Elsa looked up at Anna. "Thank you, Anna." She reached forward to embrace her sister. "I'm sorry I disappeared all morning but I can explain. I came here last night, hoping to find some sort of solace. Instead, I found Hans. We talked. For a long time. I think it was close to daybreak before I fell asleep here. She looked at the letter and a smile broke out. "But this...I never thought that it would happen, and everything is falling into place. Things are starting to change. For the better."

Hans, who had been watching the exchange while still being in the dark, finally stood up. He had been listening to Anna and Elsa talk about him like he wasn't there and he wanted to make his presence known. "What is all this about?"

"Read it," Elsa offered, holding the paper out to him with a light in her eyes.

His expression wary, Hans took the letter from Elsa and began to read it. His brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. Then he relaxed and took in a deep breath. When he finished reading, he was stunned, his face a blank and his eyes unbelieving. "Is this true? My exile...has been shortened? Because of you?" he asked, turning to Elsa.

"I was hoping it would be gone completely, but this is still some good news. This was because after I was better, I spoke to the council regarding foreign affairs and we discussed, among other things, about writing to the king to tell him of what you've done to save my life. I sent the letter as quickly as possible, and here is the reply." Elsa explained with a smile on her face.

Hans stepped forward and hugged Elsa. "I don't even know what to say." Tears threatened to fall from his eyes. "Thank you." He kissed her lightly and pulled away, a red hue on his face.

"Oh, one more thing!" Anna broke out, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She stopped for a moment, kindling the dramatic pause before the announcement. "Kristoff and I are getting married!"

There was a stunned silence, before Elsa jumped forward, a grin on her face. "I can't believe it! I'm so happy for you, Anna. I know he's going to be a great husband. This is so exciting, you're getting married!" Elsa embraced Anna who could barely contain her joy.

"I know! Last night, he arranged this romantic dinner in the gardens and we were walking then we sat down and we talked, then he knelt down and proposed…and I said yes! I'm so happy! I still can't believe it, I feel like it's a dream and I have to pinch myself soon just so I can wake up, but it's not a dream. It's real and I'm actually going to get married!" Anna rambled on, ecstatic like never before. "We're going to have to hire a wedding planner. I've never planned a wedding before and I don't even know what to do. Where to I buy a dress? Who am I supposed to invite? How do I order the cake? There are so many things to think about, so many things to do. What do I even begin with? I don't even know-"

"Anna." Elsa stopped her before she got stressed about the wedding. "Let's take things one at a time. We have to announce it to the kingdom. The royal council has arranged for us to meet the people next week. I intend to tell them about my recovery and about how Hans helped me. You can take the opportunity to announce your wedding. In the meantime, you can hire a wedding planner."

"That's a great idea! I think there's a book somewhere which states who I can call about the wedding. It's going to be amazing, I'm so excited!" Anna grinned once again before turning to go.

"Wait, Anna," Hans stepped forward. Anna turned back to look at him expectantly. "I just wanted to say...well, I'm really happy for you that you found someone. And about what I said in that room the other time...I didn't mean it and I'm sor-"

"Stop. Hans, forget about it. We've all forgiven you for what you've done so just forgive yourself and let it be. I've gotten over it, so you should too," Anna said. Hans nodded, albeit slightly, and that was enough. Hans smiled at her, and she smiled back. With that, she ran out of the room and down the corridor, an aura of pure happiness surrounding her.


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19_

"Queen Elsa!" "We love you!" "Your highness!" "Long may you reign!" "Elsa, Queen Elsa!"

Excited cries broke out from the public as the queen herself stepped out onto the stage, her light blue dress gleaming in the mid-afternoon sun. The citizens of Arendelle gathered in the courtyard, smiles plastered on their faces to see their ruler, as healthy as ever.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Elsa spoke, her ungloved hands resting gently on the podium. The loud cries softened to gentle murmurs, everyone eager to hear what she had to say. "Thank you all for coming today. It means so much to me that all of you are here before me." She beamed down at the crowd, who was watching her intently. "I know that I have not been present a great deal these past few weeks and I apologise." She paused for a moment. "Today I have come to explain why. Some of you may have already heard, but most, I believe, have not.

"From a few weeks ago until a few days ago, I had been sick with an incurable disease known as the sykdom. I thought I was going to die." She paused for a moment as concern clouded the faces of the crowd. "Until Prince Helbrede of the Southern Isles came to Arendelle to cure me. The prince had worked on the antidote when his parents had died from this illness. I owe Prince Helbrede my life. And yet there is another member of the royal family who I owe my life to. I owe many my life, in fact. One of these was a prisoner kept in the castle for his crimes – Prince Hans."

Hans emerged from the castle and stood next to Elsa. He wore formal white garments, courtesy of the royal tailor. He no longer looked dishevelled and unkempt. His hair had been combed back neatly and his face now clean-cut. He looked like the perfect prince of the Southern Isles, the one who had come to seize the throne.

Noise erupted from the agitated crowd. There were mixed emotions. Some shouted curses at him, others thanked him, while most just stood there with their brows furrowed in both confusion and shock.

"Prince Hans," Elsa spoke again, "saved my life. He was the one who contacted his brother to come and cure me. If it weren't for these two brothers, I would be dead. Prince Hans gave me hope when I thought there was none. He is the reason I stand before you, alive." Elsa moved her arm and gently held Hans' hand, unseen to all except them. "In sight of the fact that he saved me and in an act of good will to the family I am forever indebted to, the royal council and I have decided to drop his charges and declare him a free man. Prince Hans has shown great humility and courage by admitting to his crimes and becoming a changed man.

"Today I invite you to share in my joy and gratitude towards this man - Prince Hans."

There was a tense silence and Elsa panicked, though her face remained stoic. Hans held his breath. Would they accept him? Curse him? Burn him at the stake?

"Prince Hans!" a voice cried out from the crowd. "Thank you!" At once, the crowd burst into cheers. "Hooray for Prince Hans!" "You saved our queen, Prince Hans!"

Elsa looked at him and he looked at her. He didn't even know what to say. His eyes began to water as he was filled with joy and raw emotion. He kept the tears in as he faced the crowd, chanting his name, and smiled at them. A genuine smile, one which lifted all the worries and pain from his eyes which gleamed in the sun.

"Indeed, my recovery is a great reason for celebration," Elsa began again, and the crowd quietened down. "But there is another cause for cheer this afternoon. Anna, if you please."

An applause rang through the castle courtyard as Anna took Elsa's position on the podium. "Hello everyone, it's so nice to see you all here today. I know Elsa has already told you so much about her amazing recovery and I am so glad that you have accepted Hans and forgiven him as we have. But today I speak to you about something else, something I hope you can share my joy in. For I have a huge announcement to make." The citizens of Arendelle gazed at Anna expectantly, waiting for the news. "Kristoff and I are getting married!"

It was not new to the people that the royal ice-deliverer was romantically engaged with their princess. Indeed, a large number of them had placed bets on the fates of the couple. Upon hearing the news, the crowd was delirious with joy. Some began jumping around and others celebrated with strangers around them. "Long live Prince Kristoff and Princess Anna!"

Elsa stood next to her sister, facing the crowd. "Thank you all for your support and for coming down to the castle today. Have a great afternoon!"

Everyone on the stage slowly began filing back into the castle. Kristoff held Anna's hand as they walked. "Did you hear that, Anna? They sound really happy."

Anna grinned back and kissed his cheek. "I know they are. But they can't be happier than I am at this moment. I can't wait to get married, _Prince_ Kristoff!"

_._._._._.

"Thank you all for doing this," Elsa smiled, looking at the completed paperwork for Hans' release. "I want to apologise for the way I forced this. I know it was not so much as a discussion so much as me making a decision but thank you for pulling through."

"Your highness, you are the queen. We are your council. We can counsel you and give you advice but we still serve you. You know Prince Hans much better than we do, and he did more than contact Prince Helbrede, as you have said in your speech to the people yesterday. Your decision to set him free is a sign of your forgiveness and it is also very good for our foreign relations. While we may not entirely agree, we trust in your decisions, your highness." The councilman who spoke smiled at Elsa and around him, there was a murmur of agreement.

Elsa nodded. "Thank you, councilmen. Your vote of confidence is highly reassuring."

"Though, if I may, I'd like to ask about what happens to Prince Hans," another man spoke up. "As far as we know, his exile has been shortened, but it still stands. Will he be staying here?"

"That is for him to decide. He is a free man. He can travel the world if he likes. But don't be surprised if he opts to stay in Arendelle."

"To continue his romantic relationship with you, I presume." Elsa's eyes widened slightly. "When you stood by him so vehemently, it didn't take us too long to figure out why. Don't worry, your highness, we don't wish to intrude on your personal life. In just over a year, Prince Hans will regain his honour and prestige, which makes him an eligible choice for your marriage. We have no objections to such arrangements, if that is what you plan."

Elsa let out a small laugh. "I often forget that you are among the smartest people in the kingdom." She smiled. "Thank you for such words. They put my heart at ease." There was a short pause. "Now that this is settled, I'd like-"

"Knock, knock!" Anna called, bursting into the room."

"Anna, usually people say that when they're actually knocking and not when they've already let themselves in," Elsa chided light-heartedly with an endearing smile.

"Oh, shall I go back and do it again?" Elsa gave her a look. "Right, stupid question, sorry. Anyway, I'll remember that next time. Actually, I probably won't, but that's not why I'm here. I hired a wedding planner and I was starting on the guest list and apparently I have to invite royalty from other kingdoms, so who exactly am I supposed to ask? I would invite everyone but I don't think the chapel has enough space, and I heard that we're not on good terms with some kingdoms so I don't want to start a war. Can you imagine if I started a war on my wedding day? That just can't happen. But I mean, that won't happen, which is back to why I'm here...I need your help."

Everyone in the room stared at her. Anna was always an animated person, but this was even more so when she was stressing out over her wedding which the entire kingdom knew about. "Come on, Anna," Elsa said finally. "Have a seat. Let's discuss your guest list."

_._._._._.

Hans stared at the ceiling of his room, lying on his bed in his usual thinking position. His body was unmoving but his mind whirled around as thoughts filled his head. He was debating on whether to tell Elsa the truth about his motives. He had held on to this for so long that he thought it was pointless, but he was done with hiding and lying, especially after what Elsa had done. She cleared his name. She gave him honour. And he repaid it with lies.

There was a time when he wouldn't have cared. He would have exploited the opportunity and even asked for more. He would have told more lies. But exile had changed him. Love had changed him even more. He would no longer deceive the woman he loved.

The door to the room opened but Hans made no attempt to move. "Hans? It's me, Elsa. You're not asleep, are you?" she asked, sitting down gently on the bed next to him.

"No," Hans sighed, shuffling over to sit next to her. "I'm awake."

"Good," Elsa smiled at him, so purely and lovingly that a pang of guilt rang through him. "I know it's late, but I had to see you tonight. I had a meeting with my council today. It's official - you're a free man! All your charges have been dropped and you can walk the streets without having the fear of getting arrested. Unless you commit another crime, of course." Elsa laughed lightly.

Hans smiled back, forced as it was. "Elsa-" he choked and paused. Her clear blue eyes looked at him inquisitively. He wanted to tell the truth, he really did. "I...thank you. For what you did yesterday. I could never have gotten the people's forgiveness and even acceptance if it weren't for you." He nearly hit himself. He couldn't do it. He couldn't swallow his pride and his fear enough to tell the truth.

"Oh please, Hans. After everything you've done? Every word I said was true and you know that." Elsa took his hand reassuringly. There was a pause. Hans took the time to muster up whatever courage he had, while Elsa cherished the time they had together. "What will you do now? Explore the world? Run around for a year or so before returning home? I can provide you with enough money and resources."

A surprised look came onto Hans' face. "Do you even need to ask? I'm staying here, Elsa. With you. Wherever you are, I'll be there too. If you let me, of course." Hans brought his hand up to stroke Elsa's cheek gently.

Elsa blushed and bit her lip. His charming ways was always enough to make her lose her composure. "Of course, I'll let you. I'd be glad to have your company. Now and every time we're together." She leaned in and kissed him lightly. "It's getting late. I should probably get going. Anna needs help planning her wedding."

She let go of Hans' hand and turned away. "No, wait!" Hans grasped Elsa's wrist. "I have to tell you something."

Surprise came onto Elsa's face as she sat down. "What is it?" she asked, curious.

There was no turning back, and Hans knew it. "I lied to you. When I first came to Arendelle, I didn't seek your forgiveness. I came to get another shot at the throne. I wanted to sneak my way into your heart and into your castle so I could seize power and be king. And for that, I am so so sorry." Tears pricked at his eyes and he hung his head in shame. "But I tell you honestly, I am not that person anymore. When I say I love you, Elsa, I mean it. I nearly lost you and I don't know what I would have done if Helbrede hadn't come to save you. I love you. I really do. And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness and your love but I needed to tell you the truth. I couldn't lie to you, Elsa. Not any longer." Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and dripped down onto the ground.

A tense silence filled the air and Elsa didn't move. Hans stared at the floor, not knowing what to expect but preparing for the worst.

"When did you really start loving me, then?" Elsa demanded, her voice cracking.

"I don't know...after I came to the castle, I think. I don't know when I fell in love with you but I know that I fell in love with you." He closed his eyes in a pained expression. "I don't deserve this, but please, forgive me."

"You don't deserve my forgiveness..." Hans nodded slightly, half expecting what she would say next. He thought she would cast him away, into the wilderness for his treachery. He had pulled exactly the same stunt as he had with Anna. And he knew that if he was sent off to his death, it would be his rightful punishment. "But you still saved my life. I wouldn't be alive without you." She paused for a moment. "You know, when I fell ill, I thought that I deserved it. For my whole life, I pushed everyone else away, including my own sister. I was an absent ruler and a horrible sister. I thought that all the suffering was atonement for my mistakes."

"No, don't say that! Elsa, you are the kindest yet fairest person I know. You, of all people, don't deserve any form of suffering. If there was anything I could have done to take away your pain, I would have done it in a heartbeat. You know that."

A ghost of a smile flickered over Elsa's lips. "You're right, I do know that. And you did. You stayed by my side through the sickness, gave me strength when I no longer had any. You wrote to your brother just to save my life, and I can't even imagine how much pain _you_ had to endure. If you had wanted my throne you would have let me die. And the fact that you are willing to tell the truth of your ambitions makes me think that you deserve to be forgiven. By me and by everyone else in the world." Elsa put a hand on his cheek and wiped away his tears.

"Are you saying you forgive me?" Hans asked, scarcely believing it.

Elsa smiled. "I'm saying I love you."

Hans held her tightly against his chest, his arms firm around her. Tears fell once more from his eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. "I love you too."

_._._._._.

"Come on, come on, come on," Anna urged, running down the corridor, stopping to urge Elsa to hurry, before doing it all over again.

"Alright," Elsa sighed, walking as fast as she could without running and ripping the hem of her dress. She huffed and tried to keep up with Anna. "What exactly is this about, anyway?"

Anna laughed. "I told you, it's a surprise. Hurry, we're almost there!" Her voice drifted down the hallway as she continued running.

"It's about time," Elsa muttered as she finally reached the room Anna had led her to. She had never seen the room before, nor went into that part of the castle. She hadn't had the time to explore the castle like Anna had.

"Okay, are you ready?" Anna grinned excitedly, a sparkle in her eyes. She turned to face the wardrobe in the room and opened it grandly. She decided not to say anything, letting the object in front of the two girls do the talking.

Before them was a wedding dress, pristine and white that it looked almost new. The dress was sleeveless and it hugged the upper body. It opened up and flowed down just below the waist. The hem was decorated with little white flowers and a ribbon of lace was tied around the waist to make a small bow at the back.

"It's beautiful," Elsa finally said. "Is this..?" she couldn't even finish, but Anna's grin and nod confirmed it. "Mother's wedding dress...I can't believe you found it."

Anna smiled and nodded. "I first found it when I was a child, running around and exploring the castle. When Kristoff and I were going through the wedding plans, I remembered it was here. It took a long time for me to find it, though, since this castle is so huge and I couldn't really remember which room it was, but I found it and I'm going to wear it and- oh, Elsa, I'm so excited!"

Elsa wrapped an arm around Anna. "I'm so happy for you, Anna. You deserve nothing less. Your wedding is going to be _amazing_. But you know, if you wear this dress, you're going to need some accessories." She used her free hand to reach into her pocket and took out a snowflake pendant and presented it proudly to Anna. "I just picked it up from the jeweller's this morning. I was going to give it to you after the engagement party but you found the dress and it goes so perfectly."

Anna looked at Elsa with nothing but gratitude. "Oh, Elsa..." she trailed off, trying to find the right words. She gave up and reached forward, enveloping her sister in a warm hug. "It's so lovely. I don't even know what to say…but thank you. Really."

Elsa just smiled. "Come on," she said after a moment. "Let's go plan a wedding."


	20. Chapter 20

_Chapter 20_

The church bells chimed as Anna and Kristoff walked out of the chapel, arms linked and smiles bright on their faces. Flower girls formed an aisle and petals were thrown up in the air. Cheers of joy and congratulations filled the air, the whole kingdom of Arendelle at the doorstep of the chapel to congratulate their princess and new prince.

Sunlight shone on the newlyweds, causing Anna's white dress and Kristoff's white suit to glow radiantly. The air was filled with shouts of happiness and Anna had to fight back tears of joy. Kristoff lovingly put a hand on Anna's cheek, which caused a chorus of 'aww's to erupt from the crowd. The couple couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that.

Almost immediately after they took their place in the centre of the courtyard of the castle, a queue began to form. Distinguished guests, royalty of other kingdoms and common people lined up to congratulate the newlyweds. There was nothing but utmost joy in the atmosphere of the courtyard.

Elsa stood by the side, watching the couple with a soft smile. She still remembered when she and Anna were playing as young girls, and now Anna was getting married. The feelings of nostalgia almost overwhelmed her and she brushed a tear away. Hans seemed to notice, for he came from behind her and stood next to her in the shadows. He didn't even have to hold her or to say anything for Elsa to feel comfort from him. There they stood, in silence, as everyone around them chattered in excitement. Despite the noise, there was a sense of peace between the two, knowing that they were next to each other.

"Queen Elsa." She turned around to see who had called her. "And Hans." Two men, both dressed in formal clothes of the same colour, approached Elsa and Hans. Hans turned around as well and a warm smile formed on his face.

"My brothers." Hans' heart swelled at the sight of his brothers as he stepped forward and embraced them tightly. "It's been far too long. I've missed you so much."

Hamlin smiled and playfully punched his arm. "I've missed you too." He opened his mouth to say something more but closed it again with a smile. There were things better unsaid, he reasoned, then turned to Elsa He gave a bow. "Your highness, it's a great honour to meet you again."

"Likewise, Prince Hamlin. It's always a pleasure to have you in our company," Elsa replied with a customary curtsy. Turning to the other man, she curtsied again, this time with her head bowed. "You must be King Heinrich, the king of the Southern Isles and Hans' eldest brother. It's an honour to meet you."

Heinrich gave a polite smile and bowed in return. "Please, your highness, the honour is all mine." He paused and glanced at Hans. "Thank you for taking Hans into your kingdom, your highness."

Elsa smiled and shook her head. "I think it should be the other way around. Hans saved my life. I am forever in his debt."

"Your letter about Hans was filled with nothing but praise. Though I am slightly bewildered about the stark change of events, I will leave it be." Heinrich smiled at Elsa, before turning to Hans and putting a firm hand on his shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, Hans. I know how we parted wasn't the best, but I want you to know I did all I could to lessen your punishment. If it were up to me, I would acquit you and get rid of the exile completely."

"But it isn't entirely up to you," Hans pointed out.

Heinrich nodded. "I'm afraid not everyone is as forgiving as Queen Elsa. A few of the councilmen and our brothers objected, which is why I could only lessen the exile, not get rid of it entirely."

"Thank you," Hans said simply, though he wished he could say more than two mere words to express his gratitude. When he had left, he was angry at Heinrich, but at that moment he realised how foolish he had been.

There was a short pause which signified the end of their conversation. "We should go congratulate Princess Anna," Hamlin spoke up, looking between his two brothers and the queen of Arendelle.

"Of course," Elsa replied, the civil manners she had been taught coming through. "Thank you once again for coming."

Heinrich and Hamlin nodded and bowed at Elsa before patting Hans' shoulder affectionately. Then, they disappeared into the crowd, walking side by side.

Hans remained there, standing by Elsa's side with a smile on his face. He was glad that he got to see his brothers. There was so much to tell them, so many feelings he wished he could express. He only wished that they could speak freely, without the mask of formalities. Today all of them played the role of princes. He was only hoping that when he returned to his home, they could be brothers again.

Elsa seemed to know how he was feeling and she snaked her arm around his, her head leaning on his strong shoulder.

That satisfied peace came to Hans and he smiled even wider, both of them standing in their bubble of silence amidst the throng and bustle of the whole kingdom.

_._._._._.

Elsa gazed at the clear gleaming lake, the full moon reflecting in the water. She smiled, enjoying the peace from the solitude she had found. Behind her was where the party was, where all the guests were dancing or eating or chatting. She had already done her part as queen, so she decided to take a break from all the formalities. She took in a deep breath and sighed. It was a lovely night and she wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy it. Her elbows rested lightly on the railing, and a cool breeze rustling her teal dress.

"I thought I'd find you here." Elsa knew who it was instantly. "I brought you some chocolate." Hans walked over to stand next to her. He held out a plate with the said dessert. "Anna really went all-out with the chocolate. I knew she liked chocolate, but right now I think there's more chocolate than actual food."

A melodious laugh erupted from Elsa's lips. "Thank you," she said, taking a piece of chocolate and putting it in her mouth. She hummed softly in satisfaction. "It tastes great."

There was a moment of silence as the two appreciated the peace which they had. An icy breeze blew past. "Aren't you cold?" Hans asked, noting the change of temperature at the natural transition of the seasons. Elsa was about to answer, but he didn't let her. "Right, sorry, that was a silly question. It's just that it's warmer in the south."

"We could go back in, if you'd like," Elsa suggested, taking his hand and turning to go.

"No," Hans replied, almost a little too quickly. He recovered after only a second. "Let's stay here for a little longer. I'm not ready to go and socialise with people who are trying to pretend not to hate me." It was meant to be a joke, but it came out much more bitter than he had wanted it to.

Elsa nodded and complied, her heart pained to hear of Hans' misfortunes. Sometimes she thought that everyone in the world was so stubbornly foolish not to know that he had changed for the better. She turned back to face the glistening lake, her fingers brushing against Hans' lightly. "It's a lot more peaceful out here," she pointed out. "No one bothering you, no eyes judging every move you make."

Hans smiled in agreement. "I've been thinking," he said abruptly. He paused for a moment and Elsa looked at him expectantly since he didn't continue. He was acting strange, in her opinion. She didn't exactly know what but there was something off. Finally, he continued. "A lot has changed since I first met you. Then, I would do anything to take the throne, including put you in harm's way. But now, I would do everything I could to save you and have you remain in your place as queen." He clenched his jaw. "Sometimes I just think of the past and I just feel so..." He trailed off, trying to find the right word.

"Don't do this to yourself, Hans. I know why you did it. If I were in your position, growing up the way you did, I might have done the same thing. Besides, it's all in the past. Everything is forgiven. Like you said, you're a new man now. You've changed. So stop this Hans." Her voice was both firm and comforting at the same time and Hans looked at her in wonder. It filled with conviction that Hans almost believed it himself too. He gazed at her, smiling, which didn't go unnoticed. "Hans, is something the matter?"

He immediately looked away. "No, nothing. Sorry," he said. His eyes glanced over at Elsa before looking at the lake, remaining quiet. The peaceful silence now turned into an awkward one, the tension in the air between the two rising.

At last, Elsa could not bear it anymore. He had been acting strange the whole evening, which would have been alright if he had told her what was going on, or if he didn't think her foolish enough not to notice. "Hans, you know if there's something wrong you can tell me, right?" she said pointedly, more of a statement than a question. She looked at him, her soft look disappeared and being replaced with one of both impatience and concern.

"There's nothing wrong," Hans denied, obviously a lie. He nearly rolled his eyes at his conspicuous actions. He glanced up at Elsa, wishing that she somehow bought it.

Elsa narrowed her eyes and frowned. "I thought you said no more lies, no more secrets. Obviously that was a lie too." She sounded more hurt and disappointed than angry, and that pierced Hans' heart even more. "But since nothing's wrong, let's just head back to the wedding dinner."

"Wait!" Hans reached out and gripped Elsa's wrist. "I'm sorry for lying, Elsa." He couldn't understand it. He could lie to her for so long about wanting to overthrow the kingdom but he couldn't keep up his pretense for one night about this. It was because he was nervous, he realised. Previously his heart was ice-cold and he felt nothing. So much had changed. "I just wanted to wait until today was over. I guess I couldn't." He glanced up at Elsa.

Her brows were furrowed in confusion. "Hans, what are you talking about?"

Hans shrugged and let go of Elsa's wrist. "Like I said, I've been thinking." He paused for a second. "I only have less than a year until I regain my title and honour as Prince of the Southern Isles. I will be back in royal clothes and I will return to my royal duties." He paused again, but this time he didn't continue.

"So, what does that mean? You're moving away?" Elsa guessed, trying to understand where he was going.

"I...I'm hoping I won't have to. But that depends on you."

"Me? What do I have to do with this?"

"You have to say yes."

"Yes? To what?"

Hans' heart beat nervously in his chest. He reached into his back pocket and knelt down before her, opening a box and revealing a ring. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, will you marry me?"

He couldn't help but think to the last time he asked that. It was out of malice, wanting to seize the throne. This time it wasn't. This time he really wanted to marry Elsa. The last time Elsa had said no. He didn't know what she would say this time.

Elsa's face was stoic, taking in everything that was happening. Hans began to feel even more nervous at her silence.

After what felt like eons, she finally gave her answer. Her fingers reached out and touched Hans'.

"Yes."

Not even a second passed before Hans jumped up and slid the ring up her finger. He held her tightly in his arms and Elsa held him just as tightly.

"I know being a queen is tiring and there are some things which you have to do by yourself, but I want to be here for you. I want to be there to share your joy and to wipe away your tears. I will be beside you until the end."

Elsa smiled into the embrace. Her mind drifted to when they had become a couple, two parts of one whole. It felt like a lifetime ago. "Lonely but not alone," she whispered, recalling the words he had once said to her.

Hans nodded in agreement. "Lonely but not alone."

* * *

><p><strong>And so the story comes to a close. I did say I'll finish it by the end of this year, even though it is the last day of 2014. I suppose it was sort of appropriate, because this whole story takes place over a year or so. Thank you all for sticking by this story despite the seemingly endless waiting. In all honesty I thought that this story would be a lot better if I had more time or more muse. But I suppose it turned out all right in the end. <strong>

**I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Farewell,  
>DBT<strong>


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